I'd Breathe Better Underwater

I live on small, gasps of breath:
I take them beneath the surface.
I no longer struggle to swim underwater.
Each time I will see if I can go farther.

I am comforted by the water’s calm,
By the taste of honey apple lip balm,
By the fierce spray, unrelentless,
By the soft, rippling stillness. 

The smell of chlorine:
It’s relaxing, 
Addicting. 
I catch the scent often
And I stop in my tracks 
Because it’s overwhelming
To remember swimming.

It’s a wondrous feeling
To float and sense nothing,
Not a care in the world,
Just the white, tiled ceiling,
And yellow, shining lighting. 

When my eyes are red
From the chemical chlorine,
When my heart feels frosty 
From the crisp, cold water,
I know my soul is alive, on fire. 

Dive deep down.
The water is clear blue
But it’s sheltering enough
That no one will see you.

Swim
Under
Until the only weight on your shoulders
Is water:
The world is confined, for now, 
To the pool that only makes you stronger. 

And for a few short moments, 
You feel free.
But sooner or later, you have to
Breathe.