Winter
a Poem by Raquel Swann
Some find solace by the
peaceful ocean
Blah. Not I. Not me. No way.
Coarse sand entering every
crevice of your body
Noisy scavengers
hurling their bodies
as they descend upon
the scraps that fall from
the mouths of children.
Wading in the water,
with subtle anxiety about
a shark’s bite,
a jellyfish’s sting,
or perhaps the gnawing
claws of a wayward crab.
I picture myself elsewhere.
I haven’t found my place,
yet it is so vivid in my mind.
I’m miles above sea level
in a canyon made of rock
within a cabin by a frozen lake.
White capped mountains surround me
and there are no tracks in the
freshly fallen snow.
I stare out the window
mesmerized by patterns
of flakes falling
carelessly to the ground.
It somehow reminds me
of how I got there.
I didn’t follow their rules,
I wouldn’t succumb to
others telling me it’s impossible.
The fire is roaring,
and the temperature is
perfect.
I’m not alone anymore.
I have the winter.
It was always there
waiting for me
to arrive.
I finally feel alive again.
The ocean can never make
me feel like you can.
Never.
