Open Swim

Feeling hopeless on poolside

The eternal stopgap of youth is
a green pool with sweating walls, breathing,
and aging conspirators. There is
more than proximatey binding us.
Biologically asigned to
each other we murder time until
we have our imagined realities.

Others flit in and out and we're jealous.
They can live their lives every day.
We live savagely on no one's promise .
Bite of management can't register-
We sell off youth piece by piece by piece.
All that's left is egos. Exposed
marrow instead of our unlined faces.

Our biggest fear is becoming
the one in the swivel chair. He so
thoughtlessly encroaches on who we
think we are supposed to become. Pause.
The whirlpool of possibilites
narrows with every moment. We are
Unique only within our little clique.

All work and no play makes Jack a dull
but rich boy. Defined so gracelessly
by those graceless enough to survive.
We posture as a someone as we
slosh and scrub. Our baptism burns us.
Jump in and feel oblivion and
pray it's us who are the exception.