Salt Marsh Soliloquy

by David Sermersheim

under a pewter sky
a meandering stream
wends its way
through straw-brown sea grass

a musky essence rises
with the ebb and flow
of tidal rhythms
from the Sound
down and round the bend

a tilted fence
sifts gentle breezes
through weathered gray slats

a snowy egret
poised on edge
of its reflection
melds two images into one

an Osprey returns to her thatch
dangling her catch
over three eager beaks
straining for a piece of the prize

to see and not be seen
is the way of the day
playing out its rituals
in the fading metallic hue
of late afternoon

live simply
fully freely and well
waiting a lifetime
for nothing to happen

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I taught at The Hotchkiss School for 33 years, have had poems published in “The Aurorean”, “Blueline”, “Ancient Paths”, “Blue Collar Review” “Iodine Review”, “Poetry Pacific” and many other journals and quarterlies. My book, “Meditations” is listed on Amazon.