of this farm where river meets sea,
where he is transcended
by rising sun as it transforms
air and water to pale shades
of blue and blush;
where life’s trials curl up,
purr at his feet.
He loves these marshes that beckon 
waterfowl by hundreds—ducks, geese,
harriers, herons.
He promises
to take me sometime
to share his joy.
I imagine every detail—
delicious briny bite of water
on the sea breeze; marsh ground soft,
spongy beneath my feet; brash quacks
of ducks; screech of Red Tails;
Bald Eagles who soar in silence,
as white heads and tails
shimmer in sun.
But there is more. I wonder
if he’s ever been there at midnight?
Just imagine the stars.


From Scenes: A Collaboration of Coastal Writers and Artists (Rehoboth Beach Writers Guild, 2019).
Used here with permission.