Unerwater Decisions Poem by Meg Harrison

I tuck my head under a rope
dividing the lane

I close my eyes
because down here
I fear my head
will not come up again.

Lately I cannot get my ears wet
I like freestyle
but I do breast-stroke
I can swim but I get dizzy
at least I have not fainted yet.

Now I think just swim already
remembering to turn my face to the side
and kick my feet rapidly.
no one in this pool has ever died.

this is not a trajedy
this is just a strategy.
so I can exercise freely.
if I wear goggles underwater then I could see,
while doing laps that the pool has two ends.
the right is heaven the left is hell.
I need to go right again.