Wednesday, November 22, 2017

day THREE HUNDRED and SEVEN

Hymn to Paradise

I watched sunrise at Rehoboth
I watch sunset over Paradise
stuck in a fucking traffic jam
map sprawled across passenger seat
cell phone sleeps in a cup holder
analogue man tries for peace in a digital world

I’ve crossed three states in two days
excessive drives to see an ocean
once before the year ends
once again like last year
same week, same circumstance
same places, same hotel
same part of the beach after the same walk
a different joint
listen to the waves
hood up against the cold
a monk in darkness

I’ve marveled at herons in estuaries
watched saw grass shake across wind
watched foxes across frozen cornfields

there are so many shorelines to  memorize
before we change them
before the ocean swallows them

brake lights gridlock along the highway
the shortest days of the year
so much time in darkness
peaceful, I lock on a thumbnail moon

if the world ended now
if the world ended now


--Jason Baldinger  

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