Presence

Presence

Addiction—
standing
on a wonderful beach
under the dawn sky
and wishing
you were in that sailboat.

Guilt–
standing
on the wonderful beach
in the brilliant red dusk
and thinking
only of the words—
the mean words—
you said to your lover
in the sailboat.

Presence—
waiting
on the beach
aware—
of the sailboat
and the words—
and saying out loud:

“How beautiful!”