Read the excerpt from "Not Waving but Drowning” by Stevie Smith.

I was much further out than you thought
And not waving but drowning.

How does the word drowning add a layer of meaning to the poem?

It emphasizes the uncaring detachment with which the speaker observes the dying person.
It represents both a person who is feeling overwhelmed and a person who is dying.
It shows that the dying person is aware of the danger they are in while playing in the water.
It highlights the tone of disbelief created by the image of a person who has swum out too far.