The Evening Routine
Listen to Rachel ...
I lie in the bath
with the lights off.
I hold my breath and sink
to the bottom of the sea.
It’s a long way down.
Through the inky blackness,
I see alien lights.
Squid rush past me
on their empty-bellied flight
to the surface.
And the shrimp that follow
tickle my face with their feelers and fans.
The water is alive
with rippling purpose
and hungry flashes.
Ghosts-like jellies with lightshow rigging
seek the surface,
all heading up
for the feast of the night.
As my breath runs out
I join in their journey.
The biggest migration on…
What on earth are you doing with the lights off – come on, out you get, it’s story time!with the lights off.
I hold my breath and sink
to the bottom of the sea.
It’s a long way down.
Through the inky blackness,
I see alien lights.
Squid rush past me
on their empty-bellied flight
to the surface.
And the shrimp that follow
tickle my face with their feelers and fans.
The water is alive
with rippling purpose
and hungry flashes.
Ghosts-like jellies with lightshow rigging
seek the surface,
all heading up
for the feast of the night.
As my breath runs out
I join in their journey.
The biggest migration on…
This poem is copyright (©) Rachel Burrows 2025
About the Writer
Rachel Burrows
Rachel is a mum and a teacher, but also a noticer of things. She loves standing still and absorbing - taking in the sounds, smells and secrets of our world. She has travelled far and is frequently found in pea-patches.
