Breathe it in

In the rush of orange-grey hallways

and long-faced students stretched thin like my patience —

I long for the crisp yellow horizon of One Mile

and its cobalt blue ribbon of ocean.

In my mind’s eye,

I see its flash of light-filled sand

burning my kid’s feet as we rush to the car

with pink noses and salt-lined swimmers at day’s end.

I hear its roar —

exultant and ebullient,

gowned with pink-orange hues as we watch the sunset

picnicking on steaming bags of chips and scallops,

with screeching seagulls swooping for crumbs.

Where do I find rest?

Breathe in. Out. In. Out.

In life’s rush,

remember that your

inward memory of nature’s roar

can provide the wash of what we all want —

Rest — Breathe it in. Out. In. Out.