All At Sea

waking, waking, morning after morning,
sometimes from raging sea dreams of drowning,
sometimes from dreams that comfort,
we rise, or attempt to rise,
and swim towards the new day
which stands on the shoreline beckoning us…

but strong currents
seek to drag us under
and we wonder

wouldn’t it be easier,
simpler

to allow ourselves to sink
beneath the deep blue duvet,
to rest

at the bottom of the bed
until everything, everything,
has gone away…

  *  *  *

in comforting dreams,
reassuring arms,
dad’s, mum’s, envelop us

they wrap us in soft towels
that protect us
from the chill breeze,

they dry our small bodies and remove the sand
from between our toes
before we put on socks and shoes

they bundle us
into the beloved sun- warmed old jalopy
and take us home
 
we’re in our beds now,
happy, exhausted,
sleeping…