Don'T Smash An Iceberg By Yourself Poem by June Curtis

A few days ago I tried to sink an iceberg,
But instead, I almost sank,
Calmly and sadly, in my thoughts
Deep as the sea itself.

The iceberg wasn’t hurting me, but still
I’d grown impatient. I was bored of it.
What lay beneath, I wondered.
It was time to find out!

Water!
Wait, I knew water was there.
I’d dipped my toes in the water.
That icy water. How it burned and roiled and spat.
Oh how the iceberg laughed now
It knew it was too big for one person to break.
Maybe I knew it all along too
But I hadn’t made this iceberg (I protested to the water)
So much rested ‘neath the surface
I wasn’t prepared for that!

But this ice will melt when its ready.
And the water’s been getting warmer recently, I’ve heard
Though for now, it’s chilled by my failed attempt,
Those fragments of ice,
A broken piece floating alone
For now
Til the water embraces it again.

So next time, I’ll enjoy the iceberg
Its simplicity. Its stability. And its beauty too.
Don’t smash an iceberg by yourself.