My pearly eyes breathing the soot of space, I swim the sidestroke.
With each convulsing push, my snaggletoothed smile grows wider, wilder.

Now I am gigantic, a black behemoth blotting the needlepoint lights as I go.
Smoky stroke- a million miles.
Striations of stars in one surge.

There- one of rusty orange increasing.
Now a fruit size, now a beachball,
then a magnetic ocean of vibrant orange.
It pulls on my reins, yes it pulls.
But I have the bit between grinning teeth.
I wrest it away.  Not yet, I say.

Another whooshing stroke, ten more,
and I am playing Asteroids-
for real, my friend.
They test my skill, I do not slow.

I think-  I am the Otter of space.
I weave with his wonderful wilyness.
I am through!

Pinpointed dark awhile.

Then a cathedral of banded swirling light.
In the Jovian region.
My monster wing-arms are taken control of.
I assume a diving praying position.
I am headlong.  My teeth crack on the bit.
My eyes strain to ovalness.

These, I willingly pay.

I am home.

***

Artwork: Dragon Fantasy computer game.