Hayley Franklin
just when i thought i had it
the ability to navigate
to breathe
i am struck
by the blue, harsh wave
one wave turns into two
then three
i must have blinked–
now there are twenty
the salt burns my nose and throat
the seashells cut my feet
the water pushes me down
i’m drowning in my thoughts
i wait for the ocean to calm
i fight to swim to the top
and when i do
i am numb.
i build myself back up
i work relentlessly
on becoming the girl i was before
and when i do–
i wait
for the waves to come again,
like they always do