Poetry

 

Monstra swallowed me up

I knew she was down there, just underneath the surface

while I bobbed up and down on the waves.

I floated on my back trying to rest and hoping the swells would lull me to sleep.

Sleeping would make this all go away and I could rest.

Then she silently came up with her mouth opened wide and gulped me down

without causing one ripple or splash.

It was completely silent, my descent into the dark.

Now I'm here in the dripping interior with Gepetto and Baron Munchausen, prentending to enjoy our card games and our converstaion.

Really, I'm wondering if this is the end of my story.

Is this my home now? What will the humidity do to my skin?

There aren't any exit signs in her stomach. There are no treasure maps to be found here.

All I can do is sit still and frown over my hand of cards, wondering if there are really 52 in the deck.

I listen to the Baron talk about hot air balloons and dancing on air with Venus.

Gepetto tells me how much he misses his wooden son, how he was so passionate

in this love he dove into the great, deep ocean to find him.

No one is looking for me.

Maybe I can climb up her ribs, using them like a ladder.

Maybe I can try to scramble back up the way I came to be here.

Maybe I can try to find a way to be reborn from this dark, dank place.

Reborn into what?

What if there are dragons?

What if there are sharks?

What if there is just....

nothing.

Would that be worse than this?

What could possibly be worse than this?

Is there anything worse than this?

Maybe this is the best I have to hope for.

Maybe staying here is what I deserve, where I was born to be.

All the moments of my life have led me to this small place, perhaps it's best for me to stay.

Monstra swallowed me up.

I'm not sure I mind.