twice he took me to the sea
that glass-green promise he had
already made to some other man
he lined white shells around my white
ankles I believe when he took
the photos he was looking to make me
permanent and I wanted to be his
artifact with tiny flaws washed ashore
my chaotic chest splayed naked
with sand trailing downward for him
still I could swear I sensed his tide
tugging elsewhere I suppose he felt
a need to offer me some swaying
of water so he showed me the lagoon
and it was beautiful its dark blue surface
undulating like a valium dream but I want
siren song that ocean-violent roaring I am
a vessel built to wreck what good is
a body of water when it is shallow

Logan February is a happy-ish Nigerian owl who likes pizza & typewriters. He is Co-Editor-In-Chief of The Ellis Review, and a book reviewer at Platypus Press' the Wilds. His work has appeared or is forthcoming in Raleigh Review, Yemassee, Wildness, Glass, Tinderbox, and more. He is the author of How to Cook a Ghost (Glass Poetry Press, 2017), Painted Blue with Saltwater (Indolent Books, 2018) & Mannequin in the Nude (PANK Books, 2019). Say hello on Instagram & Twitter @loganfebruary.