Midnight Swim

by Leica Stewart

Underneath a quilted heaven

I float in a pool of liquid sky;

The patches of stars above me glitter

And laugh at me as time goes by.

The heaven’s light is softly mirrored

By sparks that magically arise,

And it seems I am surrounded

By underwater fireflies.

The horizon dimly lies before me—

The night is velvet to the touch—

And I, in such a harmless darkness,

Am grateful to live and feel so much.

Photo by Lisa Downs

Illustrated by Chris Diener