In the water, my brother & I play preacher: my right hand cupping
the nape of his neck
my left hand over his left hand pinching his nose shut so as not to choke on
the tadpoles.
He anticipates a shifting
even with our feet stuck
sturdy in the creek’s bed
& my knees tight like burl on an oak tree & my grip burning temporary red
freckles into his neck.
I raise my finger tips to the sky
in preparation for
the blessing
& he says sissy, please don’t
let me
drown
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Adrian Sanders is a poet, mail-slinger, and horror lover from Upton, KY. Her work has appeared in GASHER, Indiana Review Online, Jelly Bucket, and more.
Twitter: @adrianbreanna