Sorry, I know I'm posting a lot!

Race Point Notes 6/29/2005

I kiss the sweet cold salt from my own skin
twenty steps down to the water
twenty steps back
the waves’ crinoline rustle
each one advancing darkens its little moon of sand
how to describe the water’s color:
gray green brown blue white
if I met someone with eyes like that I’d marry her
and she’d wear seafoam lace
against her seafoam face

as I come down to the beach
there is a moment when the waves
are all at once all I hear
like stepping into a room

the ocean greener now as sun brightens through haze
a gull takes off from water, three small plashes
as its feet push off the surface
two whale watch boats at rest
they’ve got something but I don’t see blows
if I can’t see it from here it must be basking sharks
or a big ass mola mola
I just wanted to say big ass mola mola

something dark breaks the surface
then again – a small black – snout?
and a quick black arc
SEAL – whoa nellie – we have seal
a few yards offshore
surfaces three times, slick and soundless
then gone

sky bluer than water
water greener than sky

I just wanted to say big ass mola mola
I just wanted to say if I found a woman like this water I would marry her
as the waves come in
in long rows
and dead things wash ashore


(Anne Haines 6-29-2005 draft)