The Wet Body

by A. Prevett

When we found the Right Whale calf flopsputtering on our beach as a minnow flopsputters we did not tell our parents We ran home for our corn cans tied with string Took them quietly We fancied the wet body our own A secret treasure to spelunk through Riches for none but we Returning the whale was soso still It did not complain when I crawled inside with my one can and my no candle The mouth the humid mouth was like a tunnel of warm sponge I thought A whale is smaller from the inside I thought This is what my heart would look like from the middle I thought If I could shrink enough I thought Just enough Soon I ran out of string but still deeper I heard it The thumpthumping Just a little deeper I told my can a little deeper said back the can Just a little! Crawling hands and knees covered in ick I had no can No light I wanted what I wanted That heart The biggest heart The thumpthumping it got slowersofter slowersofter until gently it went and I was in the true dark with no sound no treasure just me & my slick hands & bad heart & wet body