W is for Wasserman

wind beat against his chest,

sandy bullets scouring flesh from his body

salt crusting a white outline of his features,

long lashes framing dulled eyes,

that heard her tears as they’d fallen on the shoreline

felt her cries rush in over the waves,

saw straining wood drum out its creaking rhythm,

as it rung out in synchrony with his beating heart

heavy canvas unfurled to carry her away

he entered the grey alabaster tipped water at a run,

diving under the turbulence both inside and out

deeper he pushed

as the water caressed away all hint of humanity

skin forming almost forgotten pathways faster than his laboured breath,

pain fused him once again into his true self,

a reconnection…

***

further and faster he traveled

shadowing the dark silhouette above

making for open sea

time was immeasurable

in the cold, wet universe he reclaimed,

night took hold,

the moon shimmered silver

its light reflecting between the water’s surface and the becalmed vessel,

halting, hair flung about his face,

it surprised him –

this minute space for pleasure –

to see it again match the colour of the weed

that beckoned relentlessly from the rocks

on the sea bed below,

a reconnection…

***

creatures indiscernible told him of her sorrow,

so heavy it had stilled the sea,

driven the warmth of the sun in to hiding

body taut,

icicles of rage  raced from heart to fingertips,

flexing his lower length

a natural precision, control returning,

a reconnection…

***

she tasted him within the salt spray,

singing him to her,

a tune no human ear could determine,

rumbled over her lips

dropped overboard,

a ribbon carrying her longing

for him,

for the water denied her,

she sang on,

a reconnection…

***

spinning,

he whirl-pooled his way up

turning under the hull,

slamming,

down again,

spinning,

slamming,

down,

spin,

slam,

debris,

panic,

bodies,

broken,

her hand warmed his blood,

cooled his rage,

and the weed beckoned them relentlessly

from the sea bed below,

a reconnection…

Wasserman – a male sea-monster; a sort of merman/a mythical sea-monster being part man and thought to destroy ships

***

Part of ABC Wednesday Round 9

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