Rain On Florida Gulf Coast

RAIN ON FLORIDA GULF COAST

Waves expand, flatten out to flow
pale gold over white mudflats
and orange starfish.
A rain is distant.
Its texture gray-greens the blue.
Illusion of transparency replaced
by illusion of opaqueness-as if infinity
had ended with a wall.
A mist walks across the water
towards shore pines.
The mist wears pale green shoes
with small gold buckles.
A black mussel shell,
turned upright to flash rainbows
from a pearl background,
is stuck in sand at right angle by my toe.
I finally know the wind, watch water
wrinkle over the starfish
and gold berries of seaweed.
Pre-rain darkness closes around
the body like a coat.
A drizzle, speaks of dampness,
then the rain falls like large purple grapes
break on the shoulder
to trickle over the body.
I'll stay in its warmth.


Duane Locke

Posted over on Poetry Magazine