Longings

I miss the feeling of weightlessness
while floating in the ocean
and staring at the clear blue sky,
gently bobbing to the rhythm of events
beyond the horizon.

I miss the salt stinging my eyes
while healing my wounds
and the waves cleansing my soul
while driving me under.

I miss the way the crashing surf roils
with the sounds of the kids on the shore,
filling plastic pails to water the moats
of their ever crumbling castles.

I miss the smell of sun screen, clam cakes, Irish moss,
and French fries splashed with vinegar.

I miss pretending to not hear
the lifeguard’s shrill
when I float beyond the buoy.

I miss rolling over like driftwood
tossed about the sea,
to watch patches of eel grass dance in step
with the ebb and flow of the undertow.

I miss hearing my heart pound
when I think about “Jaws.”

I miss the adrenalin
that comes with feeling vulnerable.

I miss the fear that comes with freedom.

I miss being set adrift by the moon.