Absence of Time

Absence of Time

Foamy splashes of water fill the imprints in the sand
as the waves crash around me in hypnotic rhythm.
Rising above the earth, I leave the boundaries of this world.
Serenity bathes me as I breathe in the ocean air
and taste the salty flavor of the absence of time.

My heartbeat slows with the water's ebb and flow;
I renounce my control over what will or will not be.
Content to remain in this moment, leaving all tomorrows
behind, I bask in this timeless place,
and my spirit enjoys rest.

Eternity releases its grip, and my senses reluctantly
respond to the world I must return to.
The playful squeals of laughter gently tug at me,
drawing me back to earth like the inevitability of gravity.
Once more, the yielding sand squishes between my toes.

Sweet ocean,
I will return to drink of your powerful potion.


Pat Nelson
January 31, 2011
Totally revised August 9, 2011



Quill Award Winner
"Best Nature"
February 25, 2012

Form: Free Style
I hope the rhythm of the poem creates the sense of the ebb and flow of the waves.