When I Was Empty Seashells

the water
the sparkle
the brightness
the sharpness
the forgetfulness of the sea the ocean
the salt
the sand in all the flavors of the world
garnet
sharks teeth
bone
the bone of the sun in the eye
the imprecision of the sand
the sweat of the waves
the roll of the waves
rocking empty seashells

the empty memories

how many seashells
how many echoes of memory spiral back into the conch?

the beach is wide
the beach swallows this city
the beach washes the feet of this city
the beach washes away the auto

the waves play with words
I rearrange the shells on the dresser top
the moon comes
the women go
fireflies follow the washing of hair at twilight

once I was whole
then I was empty seashells
then the sea makes me whole again