A sheened patina glasses above us.

Underwater, we kick scissor to the sun’s patina surface.

Ours is flight from depth’s crushed curse.

However, air thins, 

all crimsons consume us

eyes burn 

tongue taints

ears punch at the skull

nose frozen, zero smell

sound of ocean softens our strains

fingertips like old rubber dull at H₂O’s surround.

Waves of grief, surround, fill, capture us completely.

Together in surrender, we arrive at bottom.

Behind-the-poem: Challenge Prompt

This was the challenge prompt for this poem:

Word: patina

Sensory: sight

Emotion: grief

Structure: Tanka

Technique: Alliteration

POV: First person "We"

Optional constraint: no adjectives

Try to write your own with the prompt!

If you do, I want to read it.

Send it to keith@hacstudios.org

I look forward to reading your poem!