the tide rises, the tide falls | an oceanic literary magazine
You are six years old, sitting at the edge of the tide
by
Sage Agee
the salted water rushes up to your chin
dressing you in a turtleneck
for the next twenty years, you will hide
your neck with scarves and fabric
as you scratch at your neck in secret.
your shoes fill with sweet, sour, bitter
walking away from too much.
they ask why are you so sensitive
you wonder why you are so sensitive
and you swim against the thrash
of waves beating against your reddened
skin, looking for someone to say cry.
Sage Agee is a queer, nonbinary poet and parent living in rural Oregon. Ze is currently inspired by the works of Billy-Ray Belcourt and the unbelievable evolution of their brand new baby, Otto. Their work has appeared in Goats Milk Magazine, Warning Lines Mag and is forthcoming in Sledgehammer Lit and Impossible Archetype.