puddles

Sometimes I imagine I could dive

head-first

into a puddle

as deep as the ocean,

and grow gills and swim

out into the sea.

Underneath the city,

I'd find my way to a

vast, blue, violent stillness

of uncharted water

and no one would ever be able to find me.

There'd be

lovely loneliness where

no one would hurt,

no one would break,

no one would misspeak;

for no one would be there

but the water,

the fishes,

and me in my mermaid skin.