Fire Island

1. Sayville Ferry
2. Atlantic Ocean
3. Beach
4. Cherry's Bar
5. Ocean II


6. Beach II

I keep a respectful distance,
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXafter this morning’s incident,
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXfrom the Ocean.

In the summer evening light,
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXfootprints on the beach appear
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXand then disappear.

Some vacationer has left
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXa squarish tower standing,
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXthree walls of tall driftwood

arranged in ascending height,
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXthe fourth side two lines
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXof pretty pink seashells.

Just outside the stockade,
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXlike a medieval midden,
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXshells are leftover bones.

A little further on,
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXanother keep, short driftwood
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXpiled on top of each other,

protected by sand ramparts,
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXwith an entrance facing
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXaway from the ocean.

Playing on the beach,
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXby some survival instinct,
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXwe throw up levees

against the ocean,
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXand strongholds shaped
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXlike castles, mountains or camps,

or we learn from young,
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXlaughing and assiduous,
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXto bury each other with sand.

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