Sink or Swim

a boy and a girl

stand on the beach of shared imagining

their gazes far and distant

staring at the horizon 

off into the future

the great beyond

blissfully unaware of their proximity

to the tangible truth

they are closer than they could have understood

physically

mentally

spiritually

sensually

yet they were really farther than ever before

their eyes unable to focus on anything that close

trained only to look ahead

what if

what could be

what the fuck

sending love letters in the mail

to someone standing beside you

accomplishes nothing but torment

he wanted to turn around 

and reach out

drawing her near

to his lips

to his heart

all to himself

but a shadow looms

an unknown figure approaching

from a distance, the boy is crushed

a better version of himself

casting such towering and trite contemplations to the wind

allowing the howl to carry for any to hear

the figure arrives

her other half

the boy observes closely 

his eyes finally focus

he can see the truth

no such thing as a better version of himself

no such thing

how absurd such a thought

so he fortifies his mind

before he knew so little 

and treaded so lightly

waiting for the decision to be made for him

now he understands

and will dive in with tenacity

if he only could get a shot

it deserves the opportunity

he deserves the chance

to sink or swim

JC