a poem in my pocket

Re-sting poolside, this filigree of laced memory
is a white albatross painted on far anchor; these
sailboat silhouettes woven into plusSHh beach towel
spread over warm concrete hold recurring dream of
air bubbles floating up, sun-dappled, to break surface.

Fading in silence, she calmly watches her lung-full of
oxygen de-liber-ately escape; falling through life’s briefly
inflated ring while the knotted rope unravels swiftly from its
bitt over slippery polished deck. Aware of drowning yet able
to finger-trace scrollwork on bow christened, “esperanza”.

What if everything really is a meaningless vanity?
white rails appear sturdy but it’s only recycled plastic fence of
culture’s kiddie pool your wet and shivering identity leans on?

Going down, sinking into refracted clouds; slip thru tatted
tangle of seaweed, past intertwined corpses of coral, to lay
quiet, prone on smooth stones (fearing rusty drain at bottom).
Watery depths cannot claim billow of main sail forever and a
gleaming gull wings star-board, past lifeguard’s empty chair.

My response to Claudia’s challenge at D’Verse Poets Pub to write “layered poem”…