by Yvette Stubbs
I get up, fall down
Breathe deeply, hold on
Pretend I’m on the deck of a boat
Heaving in a storm drenched sea
I walk tall and short
Side to side, stagger, sway
Rise with the upward lurch
Fall with the downward tilt
I hold on, hold on, hold on
Lie on my bunk, gently, oh so gently
Place my skull, in the feather pillow
Focus on the ceiling
Spinning around and around and around
I breathe deeply, breathe, breathe deeply
spinning like a gravitron, I’m spinning
Breathe, don’t breathe
Close my eyes, don’t close my eyes
Heave, don’t heave
And slowly, oh so slowly
The boat stops rocking
The sea calms, waters tranquil
Deck, gently swaying
I swallow, wait, breathe
And heave.