…and I swim,
try to swim with the flow.

The water is calmer,
but the beach is a long way to go.
I feel tired,
but I know,

It’s the house I must reach.
The house on the hill.

Then to the beach, to the sand.
It’s only a distance away.

I am rising up and down.
The waves are beginning to form.

I must keep in the flow.
Keep in time.
I know if I hesitate,
I will drown.

It’s coming;
the wave,

it’s rising,
it’s getting bigger.

Keep with it.
Keep in time.
Let it take you.
Let it take you into safety.

It is!

I am riding the wave!
It has me and is about to chuck me onto the beach.
I can feel the sand on my belly,

I pull up my legs and run.

RUN

for my life to get away from the wave behind.
The one there to crush me if I hesitate.

It’s rolling over,
and I hold my breath.

It’s taking me under,
turning me about,

I cannot breathe.
I am in water,
it pushes me forward,
onto the shore.

As it leaves,
I feel it drag my body back.

It’s calm for a moment.
I can take a breath.
A deadly silence,
as it builds all its Power.

CRASH

It’s on me,
turning me round.
Stopping me breathing,
taking life from me.

And soon as it is here;
it has gone.
Enough time to take a breath.
No time to gather strength.

SMASH

It lays heavy on me.
Crushing my bones.
Pulling me to pieces.

I can see a wall in front of me.
A wall that will feel me crash upon it.

I’ve got to get a way;
find a means of escape,
before it takes me,

I know what I will do….

Stairs appear at the side of me.
A means of escape,
I’ve got to get to them.

Fight against the tide.
I must do it in stages.
A bit at a time,

Let the water cover me,
and bide my time.

As it subsides;
goes back to build strength,
I take a breath,
and crawl to the side.

Grab the railings,
and pull myself on to the first step.

The water Roars and covers me.
I keep my hands tight,
let it go over me and let it return.

Then I take a breath,
the next step I try.

The tide is rising,
rising in time with me.
Again and again it covers me,
trying to crush my soul.

I try and keep rigid,
keep hold of my escape.

I am so tired.

It’s beginning to roar,
so much so I wish death would come easily,
and spare me of holding on.

It covers me again and again.
All I know is to keep going on.

Then, there before me is the promenade.

I am safe,

as I crawl on the floor and glad to be alive.
People walk pass and ignore me.
They are unaware of how I got here.
I pull myself together and I walk away from the sea.