'Souptime'

Veils of light play on the rippling conscience
We were swimming in illusions
drowning in memories
floating down river toward the cascade.
Some of us washed up on shore
Picking the seaweed out of our gills
we gasped...
sucking in that other fluid that won’t sink
That bubble fluid
It’s one giant bubble out here!
There’s no room for the water
it falls away,
drips away,
gets sucked into the clouds,
spills into the ground.
We wobbled onto our hind fins
sprouted fingers,
started counting,
built tall ships
to pirate the seas.
The land cracked open and swallowed us whole.
Somehow, we oozed out again.
We’re not primordial anymore,
we’re smart shit.

- Merrill Aldighieri