Defiance

Do not swim with in shallow waters
he said
do not watch without a sight
he said
do not play without caution
he said
do not kill without a reason
he said
And yet i did
the water did not consume me
i said
the view did not paralyze me
i said
the world did not mar me
i said
the killing did not haunt me
i said
for it taught me,
and it taught me well.