I SHOWED HIM
THE UNDERBELLY
OF MY TOWN
PLACES SEEN
LESS ON TV
AND ADVERTISED
THINKING HE
WOULD BE
SURPRISED,
AND YET THE
PINCH OF
SADNESS
THAT ACCOMPANIES
A DARK PATCH
OF SAND
AND DEEP GULLIES
CARVED INTO MY
BELOVED
OCEAN
SURFACED BETWEEN
US
AS I SPLASHED
ACROSS THE
MURKY BREACH
COVERING MY
ANKLES,
HE CHOSE TO
ADMIRE THE
GRIMY TRACTOR
RUNNING WITHOUT
A DRIVER,
AND HANDED ME
A BROKEN SAND DOLLAR,
JUST A PART OF
THE PLACES I HAVE
COME UPON
AFTER THE
FLAME OF GLAMOUR
FADED
AND I WALKED ON
PATHS
BETWEEN THE
BUILDINGS,
INTO NARROW
ALLEYS
AND COURTYARDS
FROZEN IN TIME,
THIS PART OF
LIFE HAS BECOME
THE DEEP ADVENTURE
WHERE THE TOE
IS DIPPED FURTHER
INTO THE WATER,
UNCOVERING
LITTLE SECRET
STREETS
AND MUSKY
BUILDINGS
HOUSING THE
LIGHT OF BUSINESS
BEHIND
SCRATCHED
GLASS,
THE UNDERBELLY
OF MY TOWN
PLACES SEEN
LESS ON TV
AND ADVERTISED
THINKING HE
WOULD BE
SURPRISED,
AND YET THE
PINCH OF
SADNESS
THAT ACCOMPANIES
A DARK PATCH
OF SAND
AND DEEP GULLIES
CARVED INTO MY
BELOVED
OCEAN
SURFACED BETWEEN
US
AS I SPLASHED
ACROSS THE
MURKY BREACH
COVERING MY
ANKLES,
HE CHOSE TO
ADMIRE THE
GRIMY TRACTOR
RUNNING WITHOUT
A DRIVER,
AND HANDED ME
A BROKEN SAND DOLLAR,
JUST A PART OF
THE PLACES I HAVE
COME UPON
AFTER THE
FLAME OF GLAMOUR
FADED
AND I WALKED ON
PATHS
BETWEEN THE
BUILDINGS,
INTO NARROW
ALLEYS
AND COURTYARDS
FROZEN IN TIME,
THIS PART OF
LIFE HAS BECOME
THE DEEP ADVENTURE
WHERE THE TOE
IS DIPPED FURTHER
INTO THE WATER,
UNCOVERING
LITTLE SECRET
STREETS
AND MUSKY
BUILDINGS
HOUSING THE
LIGHT OF BUSINESS
BEHIND
SCRATCHED
GLASS,
WE COME
UPON THE
MAN WHO GROOMS
HIMSELF
EVERY DAY
AS I PASS,
COMBING HIS
LONG HAIR
WEIGHTED WITH
DROPS OF A
BEACH SHOWER,
HE HAS FOUND
A PLACE TO
BATHE
WHERE A SECOND
OF PRIVACY
LIVES,
ACROSS
FROM THE PARK
WHERE TALES
OF GOOD DEEDS
AND FREE
MEALS ABOUND,
WHILE THE
CHILDREN WHO
KNOW NOT YET
OF THESE
THINGS
RIDE THE DENNIS
TRAIN,
CHASE WOBBLY
GEESE
AND ROLL OVER
IN THE GRASS,
AS WE STROLL
BACK TO
THE REAL WORLD
(THE ONE WHERE
MY SHINY RIDE
AWAITS)
WE HESITATE
AT THE SIGNAL,
EXAMINING A
FADED
CRUMBLING
GATE,
HIDDEN BEHIND
THE GLAMOR
OF A MUSEUM
ON THE CORNER,
IT IS
THE SECRET
OF THINGS TO
COME,
DISCOVERY
THAT UNCOVERS
THE REAL
WORLD,
PUSHED ASIDE
WHERE YOU
CAN HIDE,
WHEN THINGS
GET ROUGH,
PEEL OFF
THE TOP LAYER
AND DIVE
INTO MONTEREY
BAY,
WHILE A WHIMSICAL
TIDE
LAPS AT THE
SHORE,
STANDING
READY TO
EVEN THE
SCORE…
THERE ARE TWO
SIDES
TO EVERY STORY:
TODAY I WAIT
FOR THE
MORNING GLORY!
UPON THE
MAN WHO GROOMS
HIMSELF
EVERY DAY
AS I PASS,
COMBING HIS
LONG HAIR
WEIGHTED WITH
DROPS OF A
BEACH SHOWER,
HE HAS FOUND
A PLACE TO
BATHE
WHERE A SECOND
OF PRIVACY
LIVES,
ACROSS
FROM THE PARK
WHERE TALES
OF GOOD DEEDS
AND FREE
MEALS ABOUND,
WHILE THE
CHILDREN WHO
KNOW NOT YET
OF THESE
THINGS
RIDE THE DENNIS
TRAIN,
CHASE WOBBLY
GEESE
AND ROLL OVER
IN THE GRASS,
AS WE STROLL
BACK TO
THE REAL WORLD
(THE ONE WHERE
MY SHINY RIDE
AWAITS)
WE HESITATE
AT THE SIGNAL,
EXAMINING A
FADED
CRUMBLING
GATE,
HIDDEN BEHIND
THE GLAMOR
OF A MUSEUM
ON THE CORNER,
IT IS
THE SECRET
OF THINGS TO
COME,
DISCOVERY
THAT UNCOVERS
THE REAL
WORLD,
PUSHED ASIDE
WHERE YOU
CAN HIDE,
WHEN THINGS
GET ROUGH,
PEEL OFF
THE TOP LAYER
AND DIVE
INTO MONTEREY
BAY,
WHILE A WHIMSICAL
TIDE
LAPS AT THE
SHORE,
STANDING
READY TO
EVEN THE
SCORE…
THERE ARE TWO
SIDES
TO EVERY STORY:
TODAY I WAIT
FOR THE
MORNING GLORY!
C:JW WINSLOW 4/1/18