Deep Blue Ocean

Dawn comes
bringing with it
a new awareness
of the ocean’s gentle rocking,
                  the great back and forth of the tide,
                  the rise and fall of rhythmic waves.

Isn’t this
                  how we learned to breathe?
Isn’t this
                  the way we return to stillness?

I grew up far far away
from the deep blue ocean.
A mighty river defined
the significance of our city.
I knew so little about the sea
into which our river emptied.

Now I hold dear
my memories of the coast,
often arising in faint dreams
from another life.

By the ocean is where
my soul awakened
                  amidst rocky shores,
                  the air heavy with mist,
                  and the cold blue waters
forever churning.

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This poem was written on November 3, 2025.