Pelagy

A poem by Nick Lee.

November beach near Dymchurch
On the cusp of saltwater.
Ice-crack footsteps
On black and tan dunes.
Boats breasting the spires of cooling towers.
Grey-sun sealight mounting the flanks of Dungeness.
Tar-board shinglespray shoring the walls of Prospect cottage.
Seven ceramic seahorns in the cast of a tusk of root bole.
Gull skull in a wash of flicker grass.
Sandsprint bones
In runnels of seawater.

I was

Rootwater
Shootwater
Fly-catcher & archer.
Flaxlight and dust
Rustbark follower.

You were

Sprint-air
Haunt-wing
Tern and tideline
Leanlight and breathshot
Cloudspat drifter.

I was

Arc-sea.
Wave-train.
Goby & blenny.
Tideline and benthos.
Athletic water.

You were

Arch-limb
Vein-thin
Head & heart.
Lungwater and coppertongue
Short-shout.

I am,

Rootwater thief.
Marine-snow sleeper.

You are,

Air-dark ellipse.
Spent-lunged passer.