Schools

i retreat into myself like a stone 

descending in water. i dream like

fish dream: wives tales of hooks

and string piercing one eye and then

the other; silver-scaled terrors disguised

as memories. down in this dark there is

no word for Fear. how can you name 

the only truth you know? no one speaks. 

everyone touches. the nameless knowing

passes between us like someone i once 

loved blinking so close i would feel

their eyelashes on my cheek. just

river water, now. just the school i 

swim in.