Mortal

Sometimes sinking, 

other times barely floating,

I was baptized by near-drowning.

Yet it is in these,

unstable sediments, 

where I have learned to thrive:

Trailing shifting shores,

winding paths over garlands of seashells, 

forgotten carcasses and aborted urchins, 

I hunt for the moments,

as the moments disappear,

like sand slips through fingers.

From deluge to sunstroke,

I try to imitate the life of a rock,

despite being made of flesh and blood.

I try to turn moments into lifetimes,

string them into necklaces,

and leave them on the shore,

before the next wave.

George is an author, researcher, podcaster, chemist, molecular biologist and food scientist. You can follow him on Twitter @99blackbaloons , listen to his Spotify podcast George reads George, join his mailing list, or enjoy his books