a pause

I wade into the d e e p waters

Of a cavern on a lush d e s o l a t e island

As a ballerina

Tutu made of pink peonies in full b l o o m

Ballet slippers

Soaked through

Rocks kneading into my arches

As water currents made by little fins

breathe

into the space between cloth and skin

Pruning crinkle folds,

sea snake patterns unfold

in the same breath

Transparent sunbeams reflecting on liquid silk

glazing petals in

the afterglow of golden honeysuckle w e t

A solo dance

and a witness

Reaching dazzling light

s p i l l i n g like polished diamonds from the sky

into the darkest corners of the cave

then

sinking like fallen stars

to the bottom of the crystal sea

Pausing h e r e

I tip my head back

Hair dipping in

morphed into

inky tendrils holding life

feather light submerged

lowering my heavy eyes

as my toes l i f t,

like new born sea turtles coming up for a i r

Balancing —— my body back to zero

I set my mind free

to f l o a t