Poseidon Adventure

When you went under,

I took a deep breath

determined to last

as long as you did.

I could dive to the bottom

of our murky lake,

fingers seeking the mossy

clams nestled in the silt.

When I stayed too long,

sparks flashed in my vision,

I'd swallow and fight the charm

of breathing in the green.

You, in your sturdy suit,

and me in mine, we in our sturdy

bodies, made for birth, farming,

and saving what needed it.

Our world loved Twiggy,

but we did the real work,

modestly dressed in shame,

insulated and alone.

Safe as kitchens, study as barns,

suited up, Shelley and I

held our breaths, and went about

saving this watery world.

Note: Today's prompt was to write about a hero. I chose this poem because Shelley Winters portrayed a heroic woman at a time when women, especially "sturdy" women, were not seen as heroes. I believe that most heroes are as ordinary as one can imagine, and that women in our culture are almost always heroes.