Hurray, it’s Poetry Friday! Catherine at Reading to the Core is hosting today — thanks, Catherine!
On Thursday I was feeling a wee bit homesick for California, so I decided to accept the Ditty of the Month Club challenge and mentally travel to Morro Bay.
At the water’s edge
gulls screech at my invasion,
skitter-scatter ;
only the waves, dauntless,
whisper closer in welcome.
— Keri Collins Lewis
Here is another view of Morro Bay, this one with the famous rock. My friend Norm Smyth took this photo. I often told myself, when I lived there, it was the most beautiful place I would ever live. I enjoy Mississippi, but the central coast of California will always have a very special place in my heart, with dear friends who are like family. (Hiya, js!)
I like the way the sounds shift from screeching to whispering…it gives the sense of pushing through the noise until you can relax. Beautiful photos!
Yay! I’m glad it works that way for you. There is something about those waves and the magnitude of the scene that puts me at peace. Thanks, Tabatha!
I can certainly understand why you might get homesick from time to time! So beautiful… as is your tanka, Keri. Love the skitter-skatter of seagulls and those waves whispering closer.
Merci, Michelle!
Now my heart is missing Muir Beach in Marin County. CA is so beautiful, and you poem does it justice.
That is a pretty one, too!
What a beautiful place! Love your evocative tanka, Keri — so vivid, and a great contrast between the screeching gulls and the whispering waves. Felt like I was right there.
A lovely compliment, thank you!
Nice imagery! And what a beautiful final line.
Thank you, Matt!
Yes, they do ‘skitter-skatter’. Love this and the pictures, Keri. What a beautiful place to live. I go to the ocean every summer, but someday I hope I can live by the water all the time.
Where do you go to visit the ocean every summer? I loved living so close to the crashing Pacific. I’d walk on the beach nearly every Sunday afternoon. Sometimes there would be loads of sand dollars to collect!
“Dauntless” is just the most perfect way to describe waves! Thanks for taking us along on your memory trip!
A conclave of poets at Morro Rock would be an epic gathering!
As Michelle said, I can see why you miss such a beautiful place. Your tanka captures the beauty of Morro Bay perfectly.
Thanks, Catherine!
Lovely tanka, Keri! And we have the Central Coast in common! My husband and I graduated from Cal Poly SLO and we lived in SLO, Morro Bay, Los Osos and Cayucos over the years. We now live in Tucson, but my sisters live in SLO and LO, and my in-laws live in Shell Beach. We love to go back and visit – your poem helped me do that today. Thank you!
Lucky you! I got my master’s from Cal Poly SLO! I’m excited to find someone else in the PF community from that little slice of heaven.
Love the ‘dauntless’ waves – reminds me of Insurgent – which my 13 year old girl has been begging for us to watch this week. 🙂 Thanks for the lovely poem.
Ha — I hadn’t thought of that but it’s possible I’ve heard it in conversation this week! Did you go watch it?