A Day-Trip to You

I take your hand
and step lightly into the boat,
ripples break at the shore
corruption of that perfect line,
tiny shock waves
dashed on the pebbles.

The gravel whispers warnings
under the boat.
We drift into a slipstream
of grinning lanterns,
deaths teeth in dark water.

The cannon of your song
thunders round cavern walls
and pounds my body,
a sound so dense
it gives weight to lies,
I realise.

Tears roll down
your pearly cheeks
and pepper-dot
the water’s skin
as it sinks in.
I close my eyes
and swallow fear,
I know how deep
the water’s here.