How To Survive A Drowning

A Poem

Ride the waves,
calculate how much water you can take on
before capsizing entirely
when it becomes too much
feel pressure of water over head
know you can handle more than you think —
you’d be amazed at how long
I can hold my head under
breathing in water and
telling my lungs it’s air

Deploy flotation device
not all are the same or created equal
some may deflate, some may not hold up
in rough waters
check manufacturer’s warnings
Or, become a fish
teach yourself to breathe water
become unsure what to do
when you find yourself
on land again

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Grace Moore is a writer and the author of the poetry collection When We Were Lifeboats. When not writing she enjoys baking, reading, and doing any activity that involves supplies from the craft store. She lives in Washington with her husband, where they can often be found discussing Doctor Who in-depth. Follow her on Instagram for more writing and future project updates.