Flowing river of darkness through canyons of air
Not-light filling up the space
Between
Blue veins translucent skin
Bulging fish eyes
Pale foreheads pressed to tepid feet
These hands will never feel air
What makes gill-lungs burn
It tastes so sweet
They break through the surface
Gulp air until their hearts stop.
This sweetness
So clear pure like tasting fire
Seeing through the murky depths
Muddied bodies
Slipping half-awake
Half-asleep
Like orchids that never see the sun.
They stay under the skin,
Looking for warmth,
Diving further.
Further into the
Gray-blue-black
Indistinguishable
Sweetness that turns bitter --
Infinite miles of pale