Nightmare

 No photographic inspiration lately though I did get the urge to write this morning, so here it is.

 Nightmare

I sat on the metal stairs waiting

For them to finish their spiral plunge

Into the unknown depths below I

Clutched my package tightly to

My heart space as a mother her

Fragile-headed newborn when I

Thought the nadir should have been reached

I looked around and found myself no

Longer perched upon the relative

Safety of the stairs but drowning instead

In a strange and murky lake and I

Couldn’t let go of the bundle I harbored

So close though it seemed more an albatross

Than a life preserver

Each speck of dirt floated by with

Stunning clarity of detail as if

A snowflake

You were on the shore in a white

Collared shirt like I’ve

Never seen you wear and I

Reached up hoping for rescue

And tore your shirt separating

It at the shoulder and yet

Though I continued to struggle

You did not reach an arm out

To rescue me and that’s

When I knew you could not

Pull me up any sooner than I

Could release the bundle I

Clutched with such dedication

You could not pull me up but

Surely I could drag you down