Find the largest stick in the yard.
         Now poke around to make sure
                      You don’t fall in quicksand.

You carry a heavy sack on your
        Back but that weighs you down,
                   Making you sink ever deeper.

Empty it-
One
   By
     One
        into the quicksand.
         There goes Santa and his reindeer,
                  He sinks the fastest ‘cause he’s fat.
                        There goes the Tooth Fairy with her large purse,
                                      She sinks second because quarters are heavy.

Keep using your stick to poke so you find the shallows.
Your sack is still heavy so dump a little more.
One
   by
      one
          the couch cushions that helped you avoid lava fall out.
                They sink a little slower-
                          so take your stick and push them down.
                              There goes the family portrait,
                                       You watch as the corners of the picture frame
                                                are buried in the sand.

Stab your stick harder into the sand
      just in case you missed a spot.
             Your sack is a little lighter now,
                    but you could stand to lose a few pounds.
                           There goes the boogey man,
                                   Grabbing for your feet.
                                           He claws the sand,
                                                      but in the end-
                                                           he sinks. 

The stick snaps and now you’re sinking.
             Slowly at first but the more you move
the faster you sink,
        the pressure of the sand
                breaking your bones.
                          Now--
                               Hold your breath
                                      it’s over
                                             your
                                                     head.