has my father catch me right away
on a raft, unconventionally holy
an older brother and sister
each pull one of my limbs
the raft rips another hole

they place their hands on my belly

and teach me how to breath
even in the water there is air
and my mother lies belly up
births another sister in the ocean
there is less room and more demand
the eldest dives into the water
“there is more to live for than this
secular ship!”
she cries

when our mother births four sons in the sea
the youngest protests she won’t grab a limb
takes a seat
and father does not catch them
his arms are full
I vow to always carry more than I can

as I pull the new brothers from the water
the oldest claims atheism
jumps in
he is more for himself
mother is still searching for her faith
she births another son

my father is for everyone else
we all move close together
they tell me to swim to the shore
find new wood
to repair
the salt is in my eyes for a moment

I will go get new wood
I will build myself a raft