Lake Erie

If the pavement is hot coals then the barrier of sand to heaven is hell fire
The icy water rushes over the tops of my feet
Waves of pain and relief

The heat of the sun that kissed my skin is more of a resentful sting now
I navigate the minefield of rocks and seaweed
The waves ripple around my knees

The breeze painfully erases the unwanted splashes dripping down my thighs
I feel the slow drop between the deep and the shallow
Each inch is pain before it’s relief
There’s a familiarity in the creeping warmth, the depth, the pressure around my hips

I lose half of myself in the murky water
I can’t see but I can feel the cool sand bury my toes with every step
I drop to my knees and let the swell engulf me

Pushing past the surface my body feels foreign now as I take a breath
The breeze is an enemy, the sun a friend, the water is home, and the land a memory
Rebirth and relief

I take one last look at my past life as I push myself back further into the unknown
I close my eyes as my face is surrounded by a liquid frame
The world is quiet now and everything is still

My arms propel me through the water with ease
The wind gust sends a chill over my exposed skin with each stroke
Feelings of exhilaration wash over me as I open my eyes to the sky  
This is flying

Like a fallen angel I shed my wings
The ripples from the boats moving in the open water caress my shoulders
I feel the push and pull of the current
This is the furthest I’ve ever been

The tide rises and my heartbeat slows as white capped waves lap my neck
Cautionary tales and warnings echo in my mind
No life guard on duty
Swim at your own risk

As I questioned the boundary line an unexpected swell swiftly reminded me
My body rejected the water that was forced into my lungs
The burning betrayal reminded me that I was a foreigner here