.

Be Still and Know . . .

Gulls brawl over a chip and squawk.
__Waves wash shell shards on sand.
On the sea shore, a morning walk.
__I wade through tidal strands.

Colossal clouds roll overhead.
__A pelican glides by.
Like sails, its silent wings outspread—
__Then rises to the sky.

Between the stems of coastal grass,
__Soaked by the ocean brine,
I spot a piece of green sea glass—
__That waves and sand ground fine.

How insignificant am I . . .
__On this deserted shore.
I am sea glass, sand grain blown by—
__drowned by the ocean’s roar.

.

.

Peter Venable has been writing poetry for 50 years. He has been published in Windhover, Third Wednesday, Time of Singing, The Merton Seasonal, American Vendantist, The Anglican Theological Review, and others. He is a member of the Winston Salem Writers. On the whimsical side, he has been published in Bluepepper, Parody, Laughing Dog, The Asses of Parnassus, and Lighten Up Online (e. g. # 48)

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4 Responses

  1. Yael

    The lovely luminous sea shore painting fits this poem perfectly and transports me into the scene painted by the poem as if I were there. Great job! I can totally relate to the feeling of insignificance, which I have also felt on many a sea shore walk. I enjoyed reading this, thank you.

    Reply
  2. Roy Eugene Peterson

    Excellent use of alliteration and vivid imagery to convey feelings on a quiet day at the seashore contemplating one’s smallness on the scale of things.

    Reply
  4. Margaret Coats

    A sensitively worded observation and reflection, Peter. Wishing you a blessed Christmas!

    Reply

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