Of Wood, Water, and Touch

Photo, feelings, prose and poetry by Alex Shapiro

Of Wood, Water, and Touch

Of wood, water, and touch.
Looking out,
I like how the branches
frame the sunset
with a heart shape.

That’s the lure
of this spot
on the globe.
It pulls
at the emotions
and possesses a serenity
that will calm you,
no matter what your day
may have been like.
It’s hard
to have a stressful day
here.

The view is what
accompanied
my eyes
at dinner last night.

Charles and I
went over
to our friend Mark’s
magical indentation
in the land
on the northeast shoulder
of the island.

His home clings
to rocks
that cling
to tree roots
that cling
to more rocks
that cling
to the sea.

Water rhythms beat
quietly
under the deck
and my gaze
cannot help scanning
beyond the humans
next to me,
out
to an ever-shifting palette
of space and color.

Alex Shapiro June 2008