Julia

The water around my feet was warm Baby’s first bath Grandma’s kitchen sink The water around my ankles was still Staying in the shallow end Neighborhood swimming pool The water at my knees was fine Time drifting by Water park inner tubes The water at my thighs was cool I waded to the deep end Still plugging my nose The water at my stomach was murky Jumped out of kayaks Couldn’t see my feet The water at my shoulders was hot Long showers after school Helped keep me sane My mother told me that everyone adapts Darwin told me it’s the survival of the fittest The water at my neck is rising quickly It’s growing faster every day The sky won’t stop raining I can change for this world I can change with the water I can change the direction I’m diving I can change the water around me I can change how deep it is I can change how hot it is I can change this pool into a puddle I can’t change the way the water touches me I can’t change how high it rises I can’t change the tides I can’t change the flow of the Huron River I can’t change a salty ocean into a tame pond I can change myself for the better I can run my hands through the river I will float along with the currents I will adapt with the water