The Fear of Drowning is What Made Me Weak

by The Parrott King Jordan R. Stephens   Jul 30, 2021


There was a time when everything
devastating happened after an explosion;
when everything seemed as though it could last.
There was a time when nothing seemed
as deep as the ocean.
That time has come and passed.
Bright light fills the sky,
people obey, people bow, people stay.
You will not be the one they listen to.

Destructive forces push you back,
you’ll always live under attack.
Shake the foundation; make it crack.
Destructive forces push you.

We always feel a compulsion
to be more than what we know.
We always feel a compulsion,
never able to let it go.

Make it last.
Make it last.
Make it last.
Make it last.
Make it last.

Your will is no more important
than anything you’ve ever known.
Your will is more important.
Make it last, make it grow.

There was a time when everything
devastating happened after an explosion;
when everything seemed
as though it could last.
There was a time but that time
has come and passed.

There was a time when everything
seemed devastating.
Now it’s all in the past.

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Latest Comments

  • 3 years ago

    by Poet on the Piano

    "There was a time when everything
    devastating happened after an explosion"

    - Starting and ending the piece with this was powerful. I took it as, coming to the realization that there can be a great deal of pain and desolation at any point in life. There doesn't always need to be a catalyst or a reason for it. The "you'll always live under attack" and compulsion to "be more than what we know" seemed to speak on war, on violence though maybe not necessarily tangible, just branching out into other aspects of our life.

    I loved the repetition of "make it last"; I read that slowly, like each syllable itself needed to be properly absorbed, cared for.

    And there's a spark, a will to live and grow and do more than just survive.

    The title spoke to me the most, like the fear of something will keep us muted, keep us back, keep us from our potential until we realize that the fear may never fade away. Or the point of chaos and destruction may be a threat at every moment of our life, and we have to cope with that. That glimmer of hope at the ending lines, the reflection of how far you've come... a really interesting write, Jordan!

  • 3 years ago

    by nouriguess

    <3