Member Poem

A dream in flood

In her dream

the house swirls on the flood

walls cracking

pictures flying from the walls

Mother screams from the roof

but she's in her room

looking for something

she doesn't remember what

but it's very important

in her dream

the water is rising

there's hardly room left to breathe

a mouthful of air

that's all she has left

but when she wakes

in the arms of the river girl

all scales and catfish tendrils

round eyes like a fish

full of some emotion

it could be love

it could be something

she'll never understand

but she does understand this

there's no air at all

the house is gone

Mother is gone

everything she lost

is gone

there is only the muck beneath her

and the river girl

her strong arms

and unblinking eyes

and a cold thing

we'll call love