You cannot drown a fish.

Barrel by barrel
You fill their tank
But still, they swim

Because you cannot drown a fish.

This is what I tell myself
As my lungs fill with
the salty flavor of grief

Your gavel may crash,
tearing my skin with
waves that have teeth

But you cannot drown a fish.

The sound of bullet holes
ripping through ebony futures
pulls me deeper beneath the swell

And my legs are sore
from jumping off boats of those
who choose platitudes over protests

But you cannot drown a fish.

I laugh when I see the wet
signatures sign hate
into law because I know

You think tears can choke us
That rising tides will swallow
our growing resistance

But you cannot drown a fish.

So keep filling our tank
by the barrel and watch
as we rise with the swell

And don’t be surprised
That our waves
have teeth too

Because you cannot drown a fish
But you can drown a pig.