Left brain in a bind

‘A four-year-old in Australia has witnessed on media over 10 deaths by drowning.’

Statistics don’t lie around like sunbathers
   but in a healthy respect for the call of water
      you were, in all possibility, taught to float early.

A backwards float is someone lying 
     on top of a liquid. Can this be true
         can water really hold you up like a one-eyed pirate?

You edge along a gangplank of anguish
     slip into the unknown.
           Your feet are treasure buried under. 

The teacher encourages you to find your wings.
         You’re advancing centuries, soon you’ll be an aeroplane
             in fluid flight. Rest your head on the pillow of her arm.

She speaks again gently, you angle right back, she catches
   your head and waves lap inside.
        Your ears can’t hear you will not go under.

Splutter, mouth-drown. Water’s the enemy 
     forcing an entry. All those you’ve seen drown 
          rush past in a flood, not one of them is you. 

Your feet lift off, you’re a starfish
    floating – bottom down, face up – breathing
         lilting, drifting, bliss-thing.

So, this water can be trusted 
      but what of tomorrow, will it kill like before?
          You wait for next lesson.  

To float is to wrap left brain in a blindfold, suspend 
     belief about sinking in water, that solid transparency 
          where belief’s an adult word out of your depth.