SHARK SMEER
I swam alongside a great white shark
who flapped his gills like an Italian Polizia
to follow him in to the darkest green,
eel-ridden waters I have ever seen.
I knew he had acute vision from a layer
of mirrored crystals behind his retina.
I trusted him to know the way since his sense of smell
was so keen, it had earned him and his fellow sharks
the name of “Swimming Noses.”
Following him into the darkest places
taught me to never be afraid of the dark.
It’s full of unimaginable euphoric surprises,
like laughing all over again watching
old Charlie Chaplin films, the thrill of a ride
on a roller coaster, and the best memories
you ever had of being loved like a work of art.