it’s not far, that distance between
believe
and the way your eyes looked away
clouds that look like angels
fade back to white on blue
those things we build upon
foundations
stacked on sand instead of stone
cracking, crumbling, falling down,
silent questions louder than lightning strikes
inside
distance appearing like fog over water
doubt thick in the air
and where the cracks are
your questions grow like wildfire
I burn
but
I
still
know
the contrast
she believes yellow
it’s all blue
when the sun was still early in the sky
and the waves broke easy near the shore
I waded past knee high white caps into the Atlantic
early summer smiled and so did I
floating through what the sea rolled my way
hours like minutes, until the clock faced sky
began to fill with cloudy hands
the water churned mixing salt and sand
the roll pulled me down the shore, but still I rode
swam harder to keep time with the sea
the sun sank lower, watching me
clouds spread darker, angering the sea
I grew smaller and more tired, floating out the waves
still I stayed in that day
where else would I be?
the tide began to rip and pull at me
drew me out further, where the surf broke high and loud
I dove beneath, let it swirl above
but it all came faster and faster
trying to keep up with the sea
my breath was short and salty
what I had left was low as the falling sun
watching as a breaker swept over me
tossed beneath its turbulent green
I washed up on shore, a piece of driftwood
next wave hit me square, spun me under
pulled me back, so I stayed at the edge and didn’t leave
sun still watching, still waiting, still listening
I was salt and sand and part of the sea
wave after wave weathering me
Talking to the Clouds 