once I was floating in the water with care

I was quite young and the sea was new there

and though I trusted it soundly

it tried to drown me

 

once I was sitting alone on the shore

I was older and the sea was only four

and though it was not so near

and I had learned to regard it with fear

it still found me

and tried to drown me

 

once I was miles away from the coast

the tide was a myth and the sea was a ghost

it couldn't find me

and couldn't drown me

 

once I was tired and worse for wear

I was too old to care that the sea wasn't there

I slipped on a rock

and fell off the dock

no one found me

and nothing drowned me