I think at some point
you have earned the right to say
I know already because you lived it
without acquiescing to
objective authority. 
I asked to see it first:

the river’s mouth,
the sky bordered in torrent and
my envisaged pout,
my omniscient frown.
even though they said
I’d never make it,
it’s been a lot this far.
two fucked knees but
a back strong from bundle
and

I never said I didn’t
deserve it,
just that I could outrun it
if they gave it.

“the flood”