By Derek R. Smith
Our bodies may be 70% water
But mine wants more
I wish to be of water, be from water
Water is erotic
When I dip my summerless leg
Into the nervy cold
Of stream revived by
Mountain snowmelt waters
I love and relish the pain of it
And when reuniting with the ocean
After pausing for too long
It’s love affair revived
The gentle waves smacking your rear
The fear and joy of discovering
What it will do next
When floating, it’s consent
It’s asking water in,
Showing water every part of you.
Becoming once again one with it
We are braiding water
Streaming ourselves into
Something everywhere and everything.
There’s an ancient water language
There are words we didn’t
Know we know
And yet we speak this instinctual
Aqua dialect
Without effort or understanding
The nourishment water,
The steadiness of it.
Derek R. Smith (he/him) is a public health professional, Anishinaabe two-spirit, uncle, sibling, partner, friend, who finds it hard to not write poetry. He has 2023 publications in Great Lakes Review, ¡Pa’lante!, San Pedro River Review, euphony, Inlandia, Passionfruit Review, Lucky Jefferson and others. There is no space for distance here, in poetry, and isn’t that a beautiful thing?
You can find him on Instagram.
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