taken from my grad school submissions

Ending Song of my Heart

I tied my life to a fishing line,

let it blow and lapse over

the edge of the boat, slipping

on waves that bent their heads

to mine. I watched

it fold into the water

so quickly,

and tenderly

the line plucked

and quivered on my heart—

for I had tied it fast

and tenderly to my watchful heart.

Blind in her ivory sea,

my heart tugged back

as though to signal

to my lifeline, strung

so precarious

into the sea.

I waited.

At last when the sun went down

the quivering stopped

and silently

my fishing line

remembered how to sleep.

For once I did not dream

Instead I counted pebbles

on my eyes, urging dark to lapse

and day to catch me up.

Nothing made a sound

except the quivering waves,

the practiced pace

of the sleeping sea.

Before I forgot my name

I carved it into a stone

and cast it

into the water

after my fishing line.

Nameless then, all

I had was depth—

profound and warming dark.

My heart

had long ago

resigned itself

to silence, succumbing

to the ceaseless murmur

all below.

Almost in memory,

I pulled

upon my fishing line,

but no response.

My fingers, perhaps,

were too cold or dreaming.

From within the dark,

I heard a ship pass, laden

with music, great with light.

And almost I saw

the lights expand before

the gentle sound of water lapping

at my fishing line

reminded me to sleep, forget

my heart.