the middle stanza

the subway sea

chugs on while i snorkel

air from the outside

wondering what fish

i’ll smell this time and whether

its just me soaked with this place

and its people who

gasp

scream for help

i’m drowning

i can’t swim

there was just too much to do

i was always so busy

so full

45 minutes wasn’t enough

help

help please

or just yawn

*

i’m going to see

a love i loved

and i wonder if

she’ll see me

seeing me in her eyes

like i did when we did

and eventually didn’t

here

eyes black

full of night

that remains in our mouths

when we open wide

with laughter and comments

about how we were such

a lovely sight to see

then

look away

*

if there were a poem

for every time a poem

was needed

there’d still be too little

there’d still be stillness

and

there’d still be an ending

and a beginning again