“Beauty of the Prisoner” by Evie Portier

Evie Portier (age 12)

BEAUTY OF THE PRISONER

We sit side by side
watching the soul of yet
another day
dip into the darkness that swallows it whole.
Every.
Day.
The moment the sea latches
on 
to our consciousness 
we are pulled down.
Salt water pouring into our lungs.
Trying to kill
our
light.
We resist.
Thrashing through 
arms
reaching at our legs
scratching open our calves.
The dunes become waves.
Crashing into our legs to prevent us from reaching
our destination.
We stop at the uppermost of the hill.
Panting in triumph.
Then we watch again, 
as the prisoner is brought back 
down.

from 2014 Rattle Young Poets Anthology

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