The yellow day

A yellow day

when all previous had been red

A door half open

awaiting a shove

Not knowing

if there would be another yellow day

the opportunity to take a gamble

and muster all my brave

On this determined and important yellow day

I pick at the fear sewn fast upon my sleeve

Loosening the stitches as I tiptoe cautiously

out into the blue

Step after uncertain step into

the glistening shallow depths I pad

Eyes darting all about me

At the age of seven

at a party

I half watched a film

from between the gaps in my fingers

Set in the seas

beside a popular beach

where a mammoth, toothy (plastic)

beast from the deep

introduced by a pulsing musical score

would pop up at intervals to feast

on oblivious holiday makers

enjoying the cool waters.

My friends all watched, enthralled

While I hid behind the sofa

Back in the now

I allow my self to float

My feet lifted from the sandy base

A sentry, scanning the flawless horizon

Alert

Prepared

Ready to get my fight on

Thanks to countless video clips

appearing daily in my Facebook feed

I have schooled myself in the art of surviving encounters with toothy beasts from the deep

I know that I definitely should not swim away

more likely to be confused for prey

So I’d position myself head on

and I’d use my arms to sway

those gaping jaws

angling the nose to pass right by

I’ll be it’s equal not it’s prey

Not here for consumption

Not today

Not any day

I stay like this a while

realise there is no threat

no teeth appear to snatch

and drag me to the gloomy depths

Reflect that the danger lived only in my mind

I float in these healing waters

and gradually unwind

On this amazing yellow day

I make peace with the whole ocean

not a morsel to be snacked on

I relax

enjoy the motion

The lift

of rolling wave

on glorious wave

A tiny bit less yellow

for all my coming days