Nate Duke
They Gave Us All Day
Make a hole in the water with your hands
and send your body through it. This is how
I teach boys to dive to the concrete anchors
holding our docks to the shore. If you can,
swim here, let out air to lessen buoyancy,
maintain depth, and spin around to witness
roving hordes of leeches, lakeweed’s hazy lines.
We’re alone at the bottom of this lake
or the lake is alone in the world. Maybe
an enemy is in the world and we shelter
in the lake. When the water’s pressure
squeezed my eyes, I was out of air and tried
to surface. The way to the dock was too far
and I blacked out. My boys (so strong, and wet
with sunlight) drug me onto the beach,
revived me with their skills to ask
how cold and deep the water was,
if they could follow me there and stay.
photo: Zach Hilty