after Bob Hicok’s “Learning to swim”
At seventeen, to be given time,
which is to most people, given youth
in years, which is for most of me, given duty,
which is most of what I am, here, where minds
don't stray from lists, to be running behind
one step ahead. Giving everything
for this, gratitude, or this, passion, or this,
obligation, that you would take
if needed by a date, any date, or for somebody,
anybody, or a favour, for which
a red line sits that would push me
if I needed pushing, in a crisp outfit, as if edges
are the lines of goals, as I do,
need pushing, for heavy things,
most of all, their weight.