Diving into the wreck

( after original poem by Adrienne Rich )

 

 

Falling backwards - that’s the way

Divers go into the water

Head first - backwards - hit the waves

Passing through the widening circles

All the kit you ever owned

Will not save you now from drowning

Sinking down and down and down

Lead weights wrapped around your ankles

Deeper than the deepest corals

 

Down here - in among the wrecks

Deeper than the safety zone

As the little bubbles form

In the arteries and veins

Here the wooden ribs of ships

Like the ribcages of whales

Pulleys , spars and splintered masts

Iron rivets , cables rusting

Galleys , cargo , shredded sails ,

 

And here are bones - but not of sailors

Captains , cabin boys or whalers

These are bones of gamblers , crooks

Corner boys and shady dealers

Some you know - you knew them from

Some other time - you can’t remember

Here they are with gaping teeth

Seaweed where the tongue should be

Singing songs from memory

 

A chest has bursted open here

Spilling prayers and lies and poems

And Jellyfish come sailing by

Angels of the salty bones

This was once a violin

Here it’s weighted down with stones

 

Down here we are not alone

We’re with the nameless in the currents

Filter feeders - sea-cucumbers
We are our own ecosystem - rich

In rare metals , iron - we are become

Oasis in an arid zone - a palace and a desert throne -

A kingdom of our various own -

Oh ! - watch your step -

        a giant clam
 

May seize your leg and then your hand . It’s just a reflex but

It’s death to you by drowning . Fanning worms - like flowers

Splay out their fronds and catch the particles that float

Like tiny thoughts , down from the surface boat
 

​

Anita Greg 20/03/019

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