at 5:47a, I rush out the door down the winding blacktop past bungalows of the California coast kissed good morning by tendrils of fog winding my way through the neighborhood I grunt and let grief and rage carry me forth on pavement, until I reach the trail, step on dirt, cross into the eucalypt forest moist, and fragrant a few birds are chirping, each note nibbles away the edges of my anger the trees -- my stoic friends -- take a few bites too I love you, forest my feet pound the fine dirt the track up crosses into chaparral I burst into sunrise above the marine layer hello, sun, i’m happy to see you today up to the top of the scrubby ridge, a quick summit and glance around and down, to the west manzanita tickling my calves and i see flowers, wild flowers I am calm enough now, to smile thank you, flowers back into the cloud, perched over the ocean down down down, fast feels good a ridgeline with scarce oaks, to a point, where, there three hundred feet below, on either side is her, the pacific I stand there a while below, the tumult, the rocks carried by waves eroding the land further, she has worn away this rocky coast slowly, geologically I also see from this precipice eternity, faith and grace before turning back I shed a tear for each and think peace be with you, pacific ocean, and in her way, thrum thrum thrum, she says, “and peace be with you”
