surfacing like a guardian of the high frontier—

surfacing like a guardian of the high frontier—

this day hangs like a kinetic event trapped
in fading light that runs in the sand. a negative
tide, after the king strokes a celestial encounter
fit for the eyes. a colorful array at fingers sway
in crisp air and fresh seasonal scenery, change felt
in orange and yellows. lurid feuille morte float
on the autumnal tidepools above pink sea stars
and blue moonglow anemones. opalescent
nudibranchs and clown dorids, disturbed by monkeyface
picklebacks, shimmer against the coralline rocks;
rise in the feather boa kelp and sea palms,
pulled downward, struggling in the waves,
the steamer confusing up and down in the darkening
ocean, blending in with the sky and the year
coming to an end. forced by the abundance—

stranding draws the starved colony

seabird wreckage 

dancing in beauty and apprehension.

orcas, great whites, sea turtles following the warming,
brush by bubbles from the conundrum:
a fever, a blessing, diving consortium to beach—

currents cross without touching,
familiar bodies passing through unfamiliar water,
each following a vanishing signal.
the last light held briefly
in two separate pools.

estrangement between euphoria and nostalgia