etchings by James Morehead
July 3, 2011
etchings
i start writing perched waist deep on a bahamian sand bar tracing letters in azure blue surf the letters momentary wisps on an endless swelling tide letters words trace back to shore rising tide chases sand traced stanzas leaving behind smeared blurs chasing the tide i take my words away from waves encroach writing more quickly now more furious challenging each crashing wave to catch my lettered trails my poem continues from surf to sand clouds chopped fine by turbo prop turns tracing thoughts into cool vapor mist left floating in mid air my poem lies dormant now chilled by mundane grey and skyline smog i try to cut letters from the soot and smoke only to see them crumble like ash evelyn sees me grabs my hand cleaning away the dust and grime "daddy daddy! follow me i know where you can write!" she leads me away from the concrete and steel away from the grey to a small city park a sandbox nestled in trees that stretch through the blanket of grey letting sunlight fall "daddy try this!" as she hands me a freshly fallen branch i write! i write words etched in sand in circles surrounding us until entrapped my daughter claps and twirls this poem ends briskly at sunset cold shivers from a pacific kiss final words survive retreating waves and passing lovers' feet only to be slowly eaten by a moonlit winter breeze
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