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 all control over what will or will not be.
Content to remain in this moment, leaving all tomorrows
behind, I bask in this timeless space,
and my spirit enjoys rest.

But alas, 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 as inevitable as gravity,
and once more, I feel the yielding sand between my toes.

Ah, 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.