deep sea divers of 1916

deep sea divers of 1916

this was a time of deep sea diving
he was trained and fluent in sea speech
took the plunge
this sea floor is like a valley he thought
expansive, soft
dark and honest

and he in clanking armor
of 1916
felt like a submarine soldier
hung with shells of iron
driftless yet, but for a rubber pipe
no bigger than his wrist
and he could shut if off like a garden hose if he wanted
plugged in his steely fist like the bent stalk of a geranium
letting the air stop letting it go nowhere
letting go

letting go deeper and deeper
our deep sea diver stared up through the water
my reflection's just there under the skin of the sea
looks like a lost pilot

and when he kicked out his legs he could drift in his armory
it's hard to hold on
it's hard to hold on when nothing stays
he clutched his lifeline and felt his feet lift