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Student Submission

"Octopus" a poem by Aura Ward



Octopus


My eyes cracked open to reveal a cloudy view

I drew my arms up to rub my eyes

My appendages felt alien

My flesh was an alien like slick

And dry

Too dry


I reopened my eyes but what I saw was no clearer

Suddenly conscious of movement

I was a puddle of slime and arms

But too dry


I looked around

I wasn’t indoors

Birds swarmed overhead

Light was disappearing over the horizon

I heard waves


The thought of water

Swimming in it

Drowning in it

Was wildly entertaining


Slowly

Attempting to grasp something

Dragging forward

In the hot sun

But finally making it to the water


The cold surrounded and cooled the burning skin

My trek deeper was made easy by the under toe

The current swaying

Pulling me further out


Discover a whole new water below the surface

More colors

Schools of shiny fish

Shiny delicious fish

Large bodies of vibrant coral


Challenging my coordination

The new tentacles dug between the cracks of the reef

Finding a delicious snack


After months later in my new form

And I felt lighter

Easier to breathe

Despite the overall lack of oxygen


My view is clear

Colorful

More so than ever

The space was,

Liberating

Relaxing


No expectations

No unspoken obligation to conform to others needs

Just mine

I am finally

Truly free

-Aura Ward, freshman


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