you swam upwards until you
broke the surface
rising upward until you
finally felt the heat and light
upon your face and knew that
here, there was air to breathe
here, there was space enough for you
no crushing weight of ocean
all above you all around you
you swam upwards and it did not matter
how long it took to get there
all the times you had to dive back under
all the times that you were dragged back under
all the times that it seemed more lovely
down there
more like home
down there
greener and safer and darker and with more places to hide
still above you the hazy promise of light
and so you swam upwards until you
broke the surface
and you did not need to think
of what would happen next