Adam C. Lipscomb: Surfacing

when i was a boy
swimming was peace
i would take a deep breath 
submerge and the overwhelming 
jangling discordant 
sound of the world
was muffled

as long as i could
i stayed under
eyes stinging from chlorine
until lungs screamed and 
i surfaced for another breath
assaulted by the noise
of a world that was too much

then back down
as fast as i could
to float and dream again

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_{Adam C Lipscomb is in all probability a carbon-based life form living and writing in Austin, Texas. His work has been published in the Seattle Erotic Art Festival’s 2020 Literary Art Anthology as well as Celestite Poetry Journal. When not glaring in frustration at a computer monitor trying to will words to appear, he enjoys cooking for the people in his heart and taking long, romantic walks to the taco truck.}