LILY HERMAN

Underwater

My gynecologist says There are
other fish in the sea, and also
Starting at 35, we do rectals,
and
I think, What the hell,
what’s one more
sensation
demanding surrender

And anyway
maybe if I lay very still
my grief won’t be able to find me
Maybe it’s a tracking animal
whose eyes live to follow
the line of my movement,
to find I’ve grown complacent
and stopped guarding
against it

The doctor tells me Take a deep breath
And
I say
Yes, OK, the sea

Lily Herman is a writer from Baltimore, Maryland. Her work has appeared in Bruiser, 86 Logic, Blue Fifth Review, and Across the Margin. Her poetry chapbook, Each Day There is a Little Love in a Book For You was published by Dryad Press. She has been supported by residencies at Yaddo, Wildacres, and Monson Arts.