The beach's tears have been wrung out like a sponge.
Possibly a close-up of a huge blank page, of a book's initial letter
Written during the all-revealing night of loneliness.
As I move forward, I can see the ocean's far shore.
Each invertebrate that becomes stranded becomes a spineless choice.
Continually pricked by birds' flashing beaks,
The tracks I leave behind are ones I'm embarrassed of. Loop
And the united ostracisms of the shells.
Soon, complicit water will once again cover everything.
But only until the conviction this evening.
The poem depicts a sense of loneliness and isolation that the poet is experiencing. The first line, "The beach's tears have been wrung out like a sponge," creates a metaphorical image of the beach being emptied of its emotions, much like a sponge being squeezed of its water. The following line, "Possibly a close-up of a huge blank page, of a book's initial letter," further emphasizes the feeling of emptiness and solitude, as if the speaker is facing a vast, empty space that they must fill with their own thoughts and feelings.
As the speaker moves forward, they see the ocean's far shore, suggesting a sense of hope or a destination to strive towards. However, the imagery of the invertebrates becoming "spineless choices" and the speaker's tracks being "ones I'm embarrassed of" convey a sense of guilt and shame. The birds pricking the stranded invertebrates with their beaks also adds to the sense of violence and cruelty in the natural world.
The final lines, "But only until the conviction this evening," suggest a moment of decision or realization for the poet. The use of the word "conviction" suggests a sense of determination or resolution to overcome the feelings of loneliness and isolation. The theme of the poem could be interpreted as the struggle to find meaning and connection in a world that can often feel empty and cruel. The natural world is depicted as both beautiful and violent, suggesting a complex and often contradictory reality that the speaker must navigate. Ultimately, the poem ends on a note of hope, with the poet determined to move forward and find meaning in their experiences.
Full packed poems
In book; Nights in solitude.
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