~ “…all souls come to be born because of water…” ~

remember when there was a fire at the foot of the ladder?

when we slept blanketed in flames. just side by side, my head

on your shoulder was enough, was all that would ever be

between us, between our hearts and this ocean forest where we run

to escape burning alive, so many paths diverging, the water

so deep. we cannot help but stay

mostly apart – it is always accidental when we meet: swimming close

without touching, looking at each other only in the middle of the night.