The Plunge
She dips her purple, sparkling toe
in the pool glowing blue
and waddles to the diving board,
steps onto its stage.
Her round, sunburned cheeks
turn to the sunglassed lifeguard--
Schrodinger's lifeguard,
neither dead nor alive.
She heaves a deep breath that
ruffles her polka-dotted swimsuit
and pads across the plank,
the tip of a pirate’s cutlass
sharp against her spine.
The board flexes
her knees twitch
and with a squeal she plummets
into aqua syrup.
She paddles and kicks,
pulls water apart with cupped palms,
and emerges from the depths.
She pulls herself ashore, dripping,
and wet footprints follow behind
as she rushes back
to the diving board.