Soaking up all that surrounds me
I breathe, reach, waver and seek--
alive, yet sessile, I feel all and only
myself.


within this ocean of fears,
of tears and sighs, of secrets,
of whispers and so many lives
(my own and more)--

so many "why?'s" among
my (our?) tenuous truths
and lies--   I... feel.
(Why must I feel you All?)


I must want to touch you.
I must want to know you,
to reach out and cry.
(I cannot help us all yet I can try.)


the depths of these
waters, a mystery--
polluted, secluded, undiluted--   mystery
(as am I)

and wearily from within, I reach out
these porous arms, hoping to see,
to feel, to disentangle
and become free...


And I wonder and worry, struggling
with this need (inbred?)--
I wonder and ask is this, all of this
my daily bread?

I drown as myself. I drown with you,
And you, and you and all who are meek.
All who seek?
(Yet all I can give is enough to get by...)

Stalked and shelled,
I soak your strife
believe it my own
call you home.


upon this ocean floor
there is so much more
than one weary sponge
might have bargained for...

~~~~~~~