In Just a Few Easy Steps

In case you’ve been wondering,
here’s how you lure
sea turtles into your dreams
in just a few easy steps:

First, leave warm water
running in your bathtub,
making sure the stopper

is firmly in place.
This should help to ensure
that your apartment

is full of water
at the appropriate time.
(I should probably

pause here to say:
Please resist the temptation
to think directly

about sea turtles
during this process.
They are too smart for that

and almost always see it coming.
This is a classic beginner’s mistake.
Let’s continue…)

Next, you have to put on
your dreaming equipment.
A nightgown, blue

a sleeping mask, black
and a silver bracelet
with silver charms

in the shape of silver fish.
By now, you should
be quietly getting into bed.

Once comfortable,
open a copy
of Wide Sargasso Sea

and lay it face down
across your heart
as if you fell asleep

while reading it.
You didn’t, but
they won’t know that.

Eyes closed now,
you should be under
between 10 to 12 feet

of comforters, duvets,
or whatever you
have on hand.

I’ve found this to be
the ideal depth
for dreaming of sea turtles.

Your experience may vary.
Preparations complete,
imagine yourself

standing on the beach
at Francis Bay,
looking out across

The Drake. Imagine
the water clear
and the day bright.

As you fall asleep,
begin to dream
of entering the water.

Swim out a good ways
from shore. Dream of
the thing you love the most

and then dream
of the thing they love the most,
the long sea-grass

growing up from the bottom,
swaying back and forth
with the current.

Now, look down.
With any luck at all
you’ll begin to see

just what it is
I keep going on about.

–April 1, 2016