a sheet of interrupting water

a sheet of interrupting water

north_sea_big[1]

 

The roaring alongside he takes for granted,

And that every so often the world is bound to shake.

He runs, he runs to the south, finical, awkward,

In a state of controlled panic, a student of Blake.

 

The beach hisses like fat. On his left, a sheet

Of interrupting water comes and goes

And glazes over his dark and brittle feet.

He runs, he runs straight through it, watching his toes.

 

– Watching, rather, the spaces of sand between them

Where (no detail too small) the Atlantic drains

Rapidly backwards and downwards. As he runs,

He stares at the dragging grains.

 

The world is a mist. And then the world is

Minute and vast and clear. The tide

Is higher or lower. He couldn’t tell you which.

His beak is focussed he is preoccupied,

 

Looking for something, something, something.

Poor bird, he is obsessed!

The millions of grains are black, white, tan, and gray

Mixed with quartz grains, rose and amethyst.

 

Elizabeth Bishop, The Sandpiper

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Buy lamictal 50mg online from Dover Vytorin jpeg image Where to buy tizanidine in Juneau online Where to buy nexavar 200mg in Thunder Bay online Buy levaquin 750mg online from Oklahoma Where to buy clarinex 5mg online in Hamilton Vesicare vs trospium Generic doxazosin from Little Rock Where to buy adalat online Where to buy sustiva in Illinois online