76

I was inside the vehicle and

My seatbelt on and the beams

Projected into dim water like

Half a bridge and motes of

Silt were rushing in the light

And I unfastened my seatbelt

And my arm caught in it as

I tried to free myself and my

Lungs were burning and I got

The door open and pulled him

Out in the dark water a ragdoll

And fought in the obscure force

Of its uniform pressure kicking

And dragging the body through

It like fires burning burning I

Tussled in flame livid and blue

And broke into night air and a

Matrix of headlights and cries

And I cried and gasped the air.

They pulled us up the bank and

His body was a whitened mass in

The mud and I struggled inside

My dress ripping it to get it off

And heaved and barked the black

Water from my lungs and I sobbed.

Within the water shone the car like

A pale carriage crossing over.