Welcome to “Poetry at The Arts Fuse.” A new poem, every Thursday.

The Day Before the Drowning Girl

 

The day before the drowning girl

the land was praised by trees

the night took its time treading clouds

until Late November chilled the sky

she was already under water

the day she was brought to life

swimming in the light of fading moon

a mermaid hooked by eager anglers

Brazilian in their zeal

with tongues like whips

and mouths like chains

that bound her to her fate

 

The day before the drowning girl

the sun was pale surprise

seagulls circled in morning

they cried in silent sighs

with water in their eyes

she felt the surge inside her

beneath the wave of blue dreams

she gave herself to the endless rumble

the thunder of the majestic sound

of one wave crashing

one hand waving

one sea calling

one girl floating

home

 

Jim Dunn is the author of This Silence Is a Junkyard (Spuyten Duyvil, 2022) Soft Launch (Bootstrap Press/Pressed Wafer, 2008), Convenient Hole (Pressed Wafer, 2004), and Insects In Sex (Fallen Angel Press, 1995).  His work has appeared in Castle Grayskull, Blazing Stadium, Can We Have Our Ball Back?, Bright Pink Mosquito, The Process, eoagh, Gerry Mulligan, Cafe Review, Meanie, and the anthology tribute to John Wieners, The Blind See Only in This World. He edited the John Wieners Journal, A New Book From Rome with Derek Fenner and Ryan Gallagher of Bootstrap Press.

---

Note: Hey poets! We seek submissions of excellent poetry from across the length and breadth of contemporary poetics. See submission guidelines here. The arbiter of the feature is the magazine’s poetry editor, John Mulrooney.

— Arts Fuse editor Bill Marx