wonderful element of a sling on your neck
it comes in the dark
when you breathe in in the night
and when you breathe out
and you close your eyes against the shadows
it tightens across your throat
keeping you there, grounded
it tethers you to reality
like a string on a bright balloon
and you float
like a corpse anchored to the bottom of the sea
and life moves around you
with brightly coloured fishes
and then with cold streams
and frightful beasts that glow in the dark
and in the moment before you sleep
the see takes you in its cold arms
and keeps you
keeps you with a rope around your throat
safe from the world
safe from the living
safe from the swimming
safe from yourself