I’m flooded but not drowning,
shifting my weight from side to side,
keeping my head steady so the small waves don’t pull me under.
The flood is fast approaching but me…
I stay level,
controlled,
bobbing and weaving.
But don’t look too close,
you’ll see the signs of the rising waters.
I’m flooded,
with these thoughts of hope.
These thoughts…
They live here, inside, all along.
Waiting for the right time to ease out from behind the levee.
But they never ease…
I’m flooded,
with these heart breaks that start small.
So small…
Then they grow and split and open wide up,
releasing the power of the still rising current.
But,
I’m not drowning.
I don’t need to be rescued,
Just a small piece of hope to cling to,
just a small piece of debris that broke free from the muck,
waiting for me to grab hold.
I’m flooded but not drowning,
I am my own hero,
There’s got to be some hero in me,
screaming to be heard above the rising of the waters,
“Bring my courage back!”
I’m tired of just clinging,
I want to swim in the churning waters,
I want to be swept away,
Because I know…
I’m not drowning.
Lovely. I need these words right at this moment. Makes me want to scream at the top of my lungs, “Hey! Look at me! I am not drowning!” Drowning is silent. You slip under the water. People don’t notice until it is too late. You are not silent Becky. I hear you. Happy Moms Day.
THIS comment is a work of art Kim, drowning is silent and lonely. We are neither silent or lonely — we are screaming to be heard.
Thank you for your wonderful words — Happy Mother’s Day to you and the 5.
Wonderful Becky!
As long as one still has that small piece of hope to cling to they can’t drown. Your poem reflects all this so well!
Thank you Estrella — sometimes I need to write to remind myself that hope still exists, even when we think it has slipped out of our reach.
Oh, yes. I have been saying something similar to myself in recent times. There just HAS to me some hero in me.
No, there is no drowning. Just treading water.
There IS hero in you, in us all. Sometimes treading water can be tiring too, letting the current take us is sometimes the best answer.
Becky, if you are truly alive, like we are as parents and writers, then there is no drowning.
I love the scream of “Bring my courage back!” I’ve said that dozens of times in my life.
excellent
Thank you Lance!
Screaming at myself is sometimes the best thing I can do.
love this, everything about it, but mostly the hope that shines through, in the whole poem, but mostly in that perfect phrase, I’m not drowning.
Thank you Kelly. I think, sometimes, seeing things on paper, reading our own words can set us towards our sometimes forgotten path. This poem was like that for me — seeing that I’m not drowning.
Love it, Becky. I love the phrase “I’m flooded but not drowning.”
There is a lot of hero in you.
Happy Mother’s Day to you.
I was talking with a friend the other day and we talked about this ‘flood of emotions” and this “flood of feelings” and we were so “flooded”, but I knew we weren’t drowning. The hero is others brings out the hero in ourselves — YOU are a hero.
You’re my hero, b. I hope you know you have been for a long time. One of the things I most love and admire about you is how you always hang on to hope ~ maybe just a tiny piece, but you always hang on. This is your most amazing poem ever! Love you! *giant glittery sparkly squishy hugs*
Wow! Thank you Dani.
Hope, I guess if we keep hope alive long enough it will eventually lead to the end of the story.
I never quite know how to respond to what speaks to me in your work, but I wanted to raise my hand and say, I am here
I love that you’re here.
Thank you.
Beautiful and corageous. You are NOT drowning at all. You are safe within yourself, your strong self working through a lot of pain and vivid memories. Grab hold of whatever you need to in order to stay afloat. A friend, your kids, a happy memory. The waters will rise and fall throughout life, sometimes we even need to hold our breath and submerge for a while. We always will catch a lifeline which will tow us back to the sandy shore. I love you!
I love the thought of holding our breath and submerging for a while — I’ve done that too.
Thank you Joanne.
Love to you.
You are your own hero. You are hero to others. Lovely poem.
Thank you Terre, for ALL your kind words and thoughts.
XOXO
Happy Mommy’s Day, btw, Becky
Nicely written. We all need a little hope to hold on to.
Poetry24 – News is the Muse
Thank you — sometimes the promise of hope is just enough.
you are so cute,
bless you,
Happy Belated Mother’s Day to Moms in your family, keep shining.
Thank you Jingle.
This is truly great, thanks for sharing!
Thank you for the kind words and for taking the time to read and respond, I truly appreciate it.
A++
Thanks for sharing…
Your grades make me smile.
I’m tired of just clinging. What a great line. Great piece, especially with the Mississippi River swelling at record heights. Your writing is very honest and sincere. I really like that. I’m glad ur not drowning.
Found you!
mean ‘ol wordpress had you in the spam folder.
I’m not sure if my last comment made it through or not. But I really enjoyed this. Tired of clinging is a great line. A very real poem, and a great metaphor, especially with the recent swelling of the Mississippi.
Great clear, honest writing. I like that. Enjoyed this MUCH!
Mine is about butterflies. Sounds exciting, eh?
Wow! This is a great comment to log on to at the end of a very tiring day!
Thank you!
I think butterflies are very exciting…
This is wonderful !
Im not drowning, I am the water flowing !
Happy Rally !
JL&B
Thank you so much for reading!
I love the description of hope as a “small piece of debris” — sometimes that’s all it takes. Your powerful poem made me feel hopeful.
That is probably the greatest thing someone could say to me, to anyone who puts their heart out here for everyone to see.
Thank you!
love the strength inyour conviction that you are not drowning…in that i would say there is a hero inside there unwilling to give up to the tides…nice emotive piece…happy one shot
Thank you! I think we all have some hero in us… we just have to have hope.
Mother of three… I totally understand. Written well…
Thank you!
Amazing poem about someone whose self confidence is intact despite the overwhelming events happening that increase in ferocity each moment. The protagonist is either deluded or very strong in her core being. Which one I wonder?!
Ha! My guess is a little of both… at any given time.
Thank you!
“with these heart breaks that start small. / So small…” Sometimes that’s all it takes to open those floodgates. Can relate to your poem.
So excited to see you here. As you know, having someone tell you they can relate to something you wrote is the best feeling ever.
oh my gosh, I love this so much, like everything that you write. I thought of you all day, and especially while listening to NPR in the car and having them speak of your city. Absolutely fantastic. I believe in you. I believe in us.
Thank you my dear friend.
There would be no life without hope. Lovely write.
Thanks for sharing.
Thank you so much.
I’m so floored when I get responses to my writing — thank you for being here.
There’s got to be some hero in me, screaming to be heard above the rising of the waters…
So much hope and determination in your words. Love this, Becky.
<3
Awww — thank you.
Determination… I like that.
Your words rushed like the flood waters a very captivating write, I enjoy how you refuse to give into the churning, very uplifting ~ Rose
Thank you Rose.
I so appreciate your words. Thank you for taking the time to read and comment.
Love this..Brave…you are not drowning..you are clinging to the hope within!
Thank you. Yes, I am clinging to hope… It’s what we have.
I’ve been there before, encouraging thank you.
Thank you.
Hello,
Appreciate your participation at poets rally,
Please return favor to poets who are here yet you did not reach them initially,
Bless your day.
Have fun!
LET US KNOW AFTER YOU ARE DONE 18 COMMENTING.
Yay! Can’t wait!
You are a hero..no doubt and it is good that you can see that yourself. I”m flooded , but not drowning..that refrain says a lot about your courage and determination. Sometimes of course, it helps to let go and be carried along by the waters. Who knows, there may be a more verdant shore , just around the bend of the river. Loved this poem.
Well, maybe the seeing seems easier through the written word.
Thank you!
Lovely poem – great to see so many comments and shared enjoyment too
Thank you!
I get so overwhelmed with the amount of people willing to read and share a bit of themselves through comments… Like you.
Thanks.
[...] Becky [...]
Critical message told beautifully.
Thank you Booguloo!
So glad to see you here.
[...] Becky (Accepted) [...]