Of the sky and the sea

Of the sky and the sea
or
Between hope and regret

What does the ocean know of a squid,
always looking behind as thoughts oscillate?

What can the sky know but oddments and dreams,
a juxtaposition of what was and what waits?

What can a catamaran know of the infinite,
caught between sky and sea with prodigious fate?

What accoutrements might a traveler bring
on this narrow road toward this silent gate?

In memory of Lane Raiser

This poem began as part of an assignment in my late friend’s Creative Process class… the same class I now teach. The exercise was a kind of game: first, create a list of words chosen only for their sound and feel. Then narrow the list to eight words, and use each of them in an eight-word poem.

The result was playful, but over time I returned to it, expanding and refining while keeping the strange, intuitive spirit of that first draft. Also to remember my friend. I’d never written a poem before this and I was glad he pushed me there. The imagery still drifts between logic and dream, a reminder that meaning can emerge from sound, and that creative limits can open unexpected doors.