IT WAS TIME

SWAM UPRIVER...

TEN STROKES UNDER WATER-
JUST TO GET THE FEEL..

THEN "CRAWLED" FOR TEN MINUTES,
JUST TO MAKE IT REAL.

I COULD SEE THE BOTTOM, THIRTY FOOT DOWN;
THOUGH MY VISION WORKED, HEARING WAS BEYOND SOUND.

NOT EVEN LISTENING TO ANY STILLED VOICE WITHIN:
WHERE THERE IS NO NOISE; THERE, TOO, IS NO DIN.

KEPT UP THE "CRAWL" 'TIL THE NARROWS WAS TOO SWIFT;
SO, I GAVE INTO FATIGUE AND STARTED TO DRIFT.

ON MY BACK DID I FLOAT- FIRST SWIFTLY, THEN SLOW...
AS TREES, HAWKS, AND SKYSCAPES ABOVE ME DID FLOW.

IN AND OUT OF DREAMTIME- EYES OPENING AND CLOSING-
LOST IN A PLACE BEYOND MY CONSCIOUS KNOWING.

SOMETHING AROUSED ME FROM THIS PLACE- PERHAPS, AN INNER CHIME-
AS SOON AS I SWAM TOWARDS SHORE AND HOME...

I KNEW THEN "IT WAS TIME."