bucket

     hangs

       on

    frayed

     rope

   the old

      man

    could

      not

    recall

   how to

     drop

     arms

    moving

   straight

     down

  how deep

     how

   fragile

  the mind

   is now

  and how

     fast

  it falls

   as soon

     as

  control

   slips

    away

     bits

 of wood

     in

   dark

  water

   echo

       a

  hollow

   splash

(originally published in Willow Review, Spring 2025)