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It is pleasant to lie on the rocky shore in the sunexposed and open. It's all there--the sound of
 wind, the sound of waves--the meaningless
 journal of a lifetime. Nothing is clear, not even
 the obvious. One loses interest and falls asleep
 within the water's easy reach.
 
 This driftwood on the beach, dry and bleached
 white, white as a bone you might say, or white
 as snow. If an artist (wearing a sweatshirt, blue
 jeans and tennis shoes without socks) came
 walking along, he might, seeing the possibilities,
 pick up this piece of driftwood and take it home.
 Not me. I fling it back in the water.
       From Before You Know It: Prose Poems 1970 - 2005 (Will o' the Wisp Books, 2009)Used with the author's permission.
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   .jpg)
 Louis Jenkins (1942 - 2019) was a native of Oklahoma, but lived in Duluth, Minnesota, for 40+ years. The state's natural beauty was a constant source of inspiration for his work, which was often humorous and always thought-provoking. Considered a master of prose poetry, Louis authored sixteen books and was featured in numerous anthologies. He claimed that pleasure, clarity, and empathy are among the most essential characteristics of a poem.       .jpg)
       
 
																	
							
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											| Larry Schug: Louis Jenkins was/is one of Minnesota's greatest poets and one of my all-time favorites, well known for his prose poems.  Thank you so much for this, Jayne.  Yes, may driftwood always drift, even as it passes through human hands.
 Posted 06/24/2025 09:40 AM
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											| EstherJ: Funny!
 Posted 06/24/2025 09:39 AM
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