I woke up in the dust
entombed in molded earth
and put on a flowered bathing suit
walked outside into the deep valley sun
and scurried to the pool.

Underneath the surface of chlorine burning blue
I saw bubbles blow obscene
begging to float up and burst

and I drank from the bottom of filter
let the leaves seep in under my skin
algae tangled gentle at my feet
and tugged me beneath a sea
full of leaves and poppy moss
with discarded branches and strands of hair

and I felt him.

Several bumps and luminescent slime greens
breathing through gills clogged up with mud
feet flipping scuba gear
sand gritting between eyes

I surfaced
and the lifeguard said
“Chlorine is poisonous to frogs”
dipped back down
filtering through
amphibious bubbles
seeking their way to the tendrils in my nose
and scooped him up

slick in my hands
he plopped out
and bounced to the concrete
bobbing back and forth between
chain fence and linoleum tile
back to the lagoon.

I spent the rest of the day ferryman for each frog
rowing the river of glass puddles
until we met with the pond
and said goodbye.


This will certify that the above work is completely original.
Ittai Eres