It Must Be Sharon
That’s me in the ocean
behind our house
getting acquainted with the waves,
1983.
Written on the back of a photo
I find in a box of random things.
It is not me there—outstretched arms
back to the camera.
I begin to recognize the great gray sky,
dark blue water, frosty waves captured,
rolling toward the shore—
the Maine coast in Autumn.
The handwriting on the back
tall and swirly wave caps,
a diagonal slant washing across,
yet no words running together
each space planted firmly
like the woman facing forward,
knee deep in the chilly blue,
arms open wide,
getting acquainted with the waves.
5 thoughts on "It Must Be Sharon"
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Supposed to be all 12 pt. Don’t—how do you do that ? Any suggestions?
Love the idea of spinning a poem in response to a photograph–a kind of ekphrastic poetry–a way of reflecting on our former selves.
Yes! Gives a focal point. I also am a photographer and watercolor—er and like to think of my poems as visual art. Writing a picture or writing a canvas comes easier to me.
I found this photo and for some reason did not check the back for awhile and couldn’t remember who it was at first! Thank you for commenting on this poem!
Isn’t memory a rascal?
Well said my poet!