Let me not forget to notice
all the seasons of the ocean
with an awe-filled soul—
equally winter’s pounding surf
and summer’s gentle swells.
Every bay a changing alchemy
of colors—smoke, sapphire,
aqua, slate, and sky.
Let me not forget to search
September’s waters
for the curved backs of whales,
their tails breaching toward the sun,
dorsal fins of dolphins undulating
smoothly in and out of waves
just beyond the breaks.
The ocean’s briny smell
fills my lungs with longing
for a simpler life.
She urges me to set my cares aside,
float at peace in her salty arms.

Posted by kind permission of the poet.
Photo by Jamie Curd/Unsplash.