Underwater Man

When the raft spun upward
like a flipped coin,
the sky tipping over,
Everyone laughed,
The river had performed
a terrific sleight of hand.

Then, we were all under water
our heads rolled back like stones,
Our arms and legs –
tree limbs in a storm.

I don't know what happened to the others,
I only know I came to like it to down here.

On spring days when the river overflows
and drunken city kids
raft above my head,
I never miss the landed world,
I am content drifting along the bottom
picking my way to the sea.