A coat can really swing...

Through the room's water
reality warped like a
fiery plastic doll.

...and yet, vulnerability
was offered along a
night's tightrope walk.

Fear revealed itself
as a slamming car crash
somersaulting
head
over
end

Regression recoiled
in a stinging second,
leaving raised hands
cowering beneath
knuckled words.

and on and on...
the lifeboat circled
around the thrashing foam.

Did the emerging hand
want to be held?
Did it deserved to be?

Time speared the waves
like a thousand gannets.

In a sky of smothered stars
a boat's silhouette
returned to the shore,
not sure if the 'shout' was a save or a
f
a
l
l

.

Mr. Darcy
© 2023