Selkie

Sara W
Sara W
Nov 7 · 1 min read
Photo by Zack Minor on Unsplash

Walking as a wet soul through a dry world

on legs meant for slicing waves

she wanders from pool to stream

never knowing why the water draws her

or why her skin cracks around her

or where she left that thing she lost

or what she’s even looking for…

No pond is deep enough

no river’s current can wash away the restlessness

that clings to her like sand,

and though she tries to do dry things

like treading sidewalks and breathing air

nothing feels made for her, nor she for it,

but

If she knew where to look

or could remember what she lost

she would scorn puddles and run from solid ground

and plunge

swim away far beyond the kneeling shore —

Because what she needs

what her elementary memory won’t forget

is salt and silt and raging undertow

and wobbly sunlight that reaches only just so far

as she rockets downward, chasing little fish.

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