Oh E.E.

Monday, July 20, 2009

There is something soooo vital about being near natural bodies of water... I spend a lot of time here sitting on the banks of the Green River, and in Washington I was drawn to the beach near the house, or the bridge spanning the Sound, almost on a daily basis. Seeing this living entity ebb and flow and rush along in such an eternal, unceasing way really helps keep thoughts in perspective.

A couple (3?) of years ago, Kj and I drove to Ocean Shores and spent a day beachcombing and gazing out to sea - on one beach after another. She was dealing with a lot of things and we spent the time mostly reflecting on life. There were all of these small, smooth, white pebbles on one beach that we collected, and later we went to a beachfront shop where she bought this intricately-carved little soapstone box to put them in that she still keeps on her dresser. For some reason, this poem brings all the memories of that day to my mind. It was a good day.

MAGGIE AND MILLY AND MOLLY AND MAY

maggie and milly and molly and may
went down to the beach (to play one day)

and maggie discovered a shell that sang
so sweetly she couldn’t remember her troubles,

and milly befriended a stranded star
whose rays five languid fingers were;

and molly was chased by a horrible thing
which raced sideways while blowing bubbles:and

may came home with a smooth round stone
as small as a world and as large as alone.

For whatever we lose(like a you or a me)
it’s always ourselves we find in the sea

ee cummings