Sleep With The Fishes

                 “I dare you to finish what you started.” 

                                                            - Brian Turner

A body turns fish when it floats down the river,

face up. She's a synchronized swimmer,

a performance artist, a deep sea diver, 

a big fish in a little pond.

Pull her from the water and check

her pockets. Shouldn't death tattoo

a message on each palm it removes

the pulse from. She liked blueberries.
She felt the sand blow like bullets,

until the bullets were a sand storm

carving surrender into her salamander

skin. Her tongue licked the roof

of the buildings, but only felt her mouth.

She lay still. Her thoughts played hide and seek

and told her that the holes

were only to let God's light in.