This ocean between us

And my raft

Weaved of words as yet unspoken

Clumsy as if built by my actual hands

Frail and disconnected

Lacking coordination

And so I slip

The warm water my only embrace

And you

You don’t notice that I’m drowning

Gasping

Thrashing

Reaching out for your hand

Hoping for something solid

But grasping only air

A ghost

And I whisper to myself

Have I ever stood on dry land

Would I know it if I were to happen upon it

Should I believe that you would you meet me there

Like children

Born anew

Do you think you could hold me

See me

Would you want to

And even if you turned

Even if your eyes found mine

Would I recognize salvation

Or flinch away

Worn thin by longing

Hollowed by hope

Would I trust the shore

Or slip willingly into the deep

Cradled by the only certainty I’ve ever known