And there I was
underwater
my body stretched out
along below the surface
my head below
tilted slightly back
so not even my nose
broke the surface only my mouth
open gasping a fish mouth
I didn’t recognize as my own
my eyes open looking up
at me an expression
I couldn’t decipher
fear pleading
I thought maybe
I could reach down
breach the surface
and lift myself up and out
but I stood paralyzed breathing
in unison with my submerged self
and said,
“I’ve got to stop having these nightmares,”
as if I had a choice.