eel lake
north of coos bay, or. • 3 june 10am
When the ocean within us asserts itself
The ocean reaches for me across the dunes
to this little lake with its animal name
where I once pitched my tent
and stayed for five days.
I ran out of food but didn’t care.
I could not make myself leave
for the world built another way
as time unveiled the close star—
our sun— and the far stars—
uncountable.
Paint me here again, painter
so that I never forget
what it is to be this far
from hunger.