Brinkmanship

Like when you slip beneath the edge
of the sea, sharp stones razor the soles
of your feet, crabs nibble toes, the nagging
pull of the tide at your calves.
Involuntary curses lap around
your balls, belly bracing, testing
how deep the freeze can spread,
up to your neck in a numbness.
A small sip of death, pretend to forget
this liquid ceiling so easily broken,
the heavy world hovering that threatens
to burst through and swallow the ocean;
that foreign tongue, that silence.

About This Poem

Editing Stage: Editing - draft

About the Author

Country/Region: England

Favorite Poets: John Cooper Clarke , Fleur Adcock , Carol Anne Duffy , Derek Mahon

Comments

Geezer

3 weeks 3 days ago

I'm not sure...

that I am interpreting this correctly. I would liken this one to be a tale of someone jumping into the deep end of politics, and then discovering that they might not have the "right stuff". I think that you should maybe try to give us a little bit of a hint. ~ Geez.

Ray Miller

3 weeks 2 days ago

Brinkmanship

Thanks for the comment. With the world as it is, there's a tendency to read a political slant on many things and I suppose the title might push you that way. But it's really just about daring the sea to do its worst. It's a poor poem.

Lavender

3 weeks 1 day ago

Brinkmanship

Hello, Ray,

I read it as a metaphor for any overwhelming hardship - both literally and emotionally. Life has its breaking points. The language lends itself to feeling harsh and uncomfortable, which seems to be the concept. Your poetry always has a strong final line, and this one is like a last thought before all goes dark.

At first read, I wondered about the gentleness of crabs "nibble" since other descriptions are so jarring, but I can also appreciate the irony in the observation.

Thank you!

Ray Miller

3 weeks 1 day ago

Brinkmanship

Thanks Lavender