The swimming lessons I never took
taught me a healthy fear of water,
which only quenched my distrust
of the land further, forcing me
to dive into the cheapest whisky.
Saturday nights trapped in a bottle
like a ship that couldn't float,
nor sink, and as easy as glass is
to break, I was always scared
of seeing my own blood.
Now, red is my favourite colour
and winter where I'm most comfortable:
footprints going in circles,
yet moving forward as time
helps me grieve who I used to be.
--
Richard LeDue (he/him) lives in Norway House, Manitoba, Canada. He has been published both online and in print. He is the author of eleven books of poetry. His latest full-length book, “Sometimes, It Isn't Much,” was released from Alien Buddha Press in February 2024, and his latest chapbook, “Mourning for the Petals,” was self-published online for Kindle in November 2024.