The Rescue Poem by Joanna Hamilton

I am gone, lost
At sea in a storm
Wave after wave
Crashes down in an
Attempt to drown me
I push up through
The water into the
Cold night air
Again the sea tries
To eat me whole, and
I am pushed back under

The fish swim
Peacefully as my
Lungs burn and
Shrivel up inside
I can let go now
I can leave, someone
Has found me and
Drags me to the
Surface for air
I am cold and
I am hurt, I
Hurt everywhere when
I shiver

I am put in a basket and
Raised high above the sea
Everything goes black
I dream of mermaids
And fish and stars
Floating on the water
I drown as I wake up

I look around
There are strange
Faces leaning over me
I choke up water
And cough up sand
A man leans over me
He says, “You’re safe.”
I cry and say, “Never again.”