At Sea Poem by Percy Dovetonsils

Now I am old
I think back
to my youth

when a rip tide
caught me
and swept me

farther and farther
out to sea.
Things looked bad

for a long, long,
time.
The only good thing

I can say
was that I was
remarkably patient.

I didn't fight the tide
or panic,
or exhaust myself.

I swam parallel
to shore
for years,

lost my youth,
my looks, my health,
but paddled on,

and in time
saw an opening,
rode a wave

to shore.
I was so persistent.
I had no idea

I could be
so persistent.
Any rational man

would have drowned
years before.
Or am I

still out there,
still persisting?
Still drowning?