Sideline (2nd Revision) Poem by Margaret Alice Second

Though the river of time stopped
flowing for me I cannot leave the
water as yet - no flow or progress
possible sinking lower into depths
where coral is deep red the sun a
far-off blur and sea-creatures flee
these flaying legs

Discomforting calm weighs wet on
eardrums in an unheeded descent
leaving disconnected others forking
into parallel space - alone in a cable
bundling time into tarred blackness
bells declaring Atlantis’ last hours
ringing in my head

The great city sank beneath waves
hidden forever from earth life and
sunlight - an immobile island of mist-
shrouded legends told in a story
resembling life woven by small
minds folding and bending
infinite timelines together

While I am shunted out of existence
stranded on a sideline sharing no joys
of desire or accomplished fulfilment
keeping hope time-frozen inside me
a magical talisman to light my eyes
as I wait for the return of meaning
and sound…