A Sideline [2nd revision]

[2nd REVISION]

Though the river of time stopped
flowing for me I cannot leave the
water as yet - no flow or progress
possible sinking lower into depths
where coral is deep red the sun a
far-off blur and sea-creatures flee
these flaying legs

Discomforting calm weighs wet on
eardrums in an unheeded descent
leaving disconnected others forking
into parallel space - alone in a cable
bundling time into tarred blackness
bells declaring Atlantis’ last hours
ringing in my head

The great city sank beneath waves
hidden forever from earth life and
sunlight - an immobile island of mist-
shrouded legends told in a story
resembling life woven by small
minds folding and bending
infinite timelines together

While I am shunted out of existence
stranded on a sideline sharing no joys
of desire or accomplished fulfilment
keeping hope time-frozen inside me
a magical talisman to light my eyes
as I wait for the return of meaning
and sound…

[ORIGINAL]

Though the river of time stopped flowing for
me, I cannot get out of the water as yet,
no flow or movement possible, sinking
lower, deep into the depths where the
coral is red, the sun a far-off blur and
sea-creatures scamper away from
flaying legs

A watery stillness where pressure on
eardrums is uncomfortable, my descent
unheeded, others forking away into their
separate parallel universes, alone in this
cable bundling time into the blackness of
tar, bells ringing in my head, announcing
the last hours

Of Atlantis before that great city sank
beneath the waves hidden from sunlight
and earth life forever, an immobile island
shrouded in the mists of legend and myth;
life resembles a story woven by many small
minds folding and bending timelines together,
while I

Am stranded on a sideline, shunted out
of existence, not partaking of the delicious
joy of desire and accomplished fulfillment, so
I keep hope inside, frozen in time - a magical
talisman to light my eyes as I wait for the
return of time - meaning and sound…