Overheard at the End of the World

On this day
a shaggy dog tale
beyond all hope or fear,
weary of the wet weight
of a long cold desperate swim,
touches shoreline,
climbs to dry ground,
shakes the clinging remnants free
in a twisting torus exploding
sprayed diamonds flashing
starlight splashing surprised skin
evaporating on the wind
dissipated laughing wingless and airborne
until only the sound of flying remains,
stays with you all the way out to the waterfall
where the sharp wave of silence roars down
on the first moment of diving
in and through to where
only the light is still audible.