we’ve never needed a rope
already anchored to the bottom, drop down
engine died, crept into the salt air
we didn’t know better, left the map behind
lost like we were on mount everest
caved in and concave
we didn’t know the tide was going to rise
never watched the weather report before
why, when monsoon season felt like every day
terrible scars in the skies reflected in our eyes
adrift on the worst river
close to shore, we don’t care enough yet
held back again by the weight of the anchor
sitting in the middle of the boat now
and neither of us will toss it out
the baleful primal 