Once a Girl

by Trish Waters

She used to sit here,
in this very spot
waiting for life to approach her.
She used to wonder when
her time to take it was.
Waiting wasn’t her strong suit
but it became her full time job.
She clocked in and never clocked out,
aimlessly awaiting her turn,
double shifts,
overtime,
through the holidays,
she became an island
of time.

One day a boat came,
she was just swimming with the dolphins—
she looked up at the captain and decided,
it wasn’t waiting anymore—
but living
and watching
each breath—
inhale—
exhale—

So she shook her head, “No”
and let the boat pass right on.

Because her island is
time
and she loves swimming
with the dolphins.