What It Is To Breathe

by Ava Santos, 14

I dove deep into the sea
Yearning for change
Longing to live the way I fight 
And still not being able to lay at ease
Inside my own flesh

Sinking beneath the thrashing waves
Submerged by all my loud thoughts
That pull at my skin

I made myself small
Crushing all of my limbs
All of my bones together

But at some point
You’ll have to lift yourself up
And fight against the currents
That drag you down to the bottom
Of the ocean

In which you will learn
How freeing it is to
Inhale
Let the crisp air flow 
Within your lungs

Allow yourself to finally
Exhale
And expel the heavy water
Trapped inside your body

You’ll realize that you don’t need
To swim away anymore
No more drowning in the words
That fester in your mind

Where it is then
That you will finally
Let yourself 
Breathe

Neptune City, NJ

*This piece was the third place winner of Voice & Verse as well as the second place winner of Freedom of Expression, 2024 writing contests.