bounty hunter

putting roots down means letting yourself grow deeper into a place
which is a different kind of growth, not the spreading wide of branches or
rambling of tumbleweeds, but settling in,
growing in literal and figurative ways: growing one's own food
growing closer to the local people
taking care of your community, late night hospital shifts,
fixing the broken people
watching the new babies of newport be born into the world,
holding the hands of those who are dying.

each day the ocean schools us, bodily and mentally,
today: head high + glassy walls,
the usual suspects in the line up
friends, these once-strangers-now-smiling-faces
yelling each other into silvery walls
gliding across zipping lines.
patience, the secret rhythm of the sea
short bursts, then lulls, then ferocity
more waiting-- this is just like life
life-like
life.
shedding water in the parking lot
our brothers are laughing,
planning another dinner, another bonfire
another day, another year, another week
together.

at dusk, i go to the garden,
harvest some recent cold-weather vegetables
thank god that i dont live in a place
where the sun shines constantly
and where millions of people would want to share
the land with me.

now as night falls, quiet descends.
only the continuous pulse of waves
pounding the sand outside my window
filters in through the salt air.
the ocean brings gifts,
and the almost indiscernible sound
of relief.