FIRE ISLAND: MID-SUMMER
Soft waves today; feathery clouds;
apricot horizon; frothing
wake of a water skier
shivers in the cool breeze.
A plover lands atop a sand-castle parapet
while I, in my lounge chair,
write a poem about the joys of summer.
Sudden noise from a boom-box
jolts me and the bird
from our respective perches.
Toes digging into the sand,
we head for the water's edge
where we bury all complaints
for the tide to wash away.
—Rosalie Calabrese
(Published: Third Wednesday, 2013)
You may remember Rosalie as the star of the first part of the Real Gals series, which is a collaboration with the nonprofit GlamourGals. Rosalie is a brilliant 78-year-old New York City–based writer, and it's such a joy for me to read her poetry and to now have the chance to share it with you. (When you read the poem, can you smell the ocean breeze, hear the sound of the boat pulling the water skier, hear the waves crashing, and see the bird standing at the water's edge? I love that "Fire Island: Mid-Summer" truly evokes the senses, and our imaginations, as we read!) Here's a bit more about Rosalie.
The best part of summer to her: "I love sitting on the beach, mesmerized by the motion of the sea."
Her favorite season: "I like summer the best, although spring and fall are nice. Notice I didn't say winter. Brrr. What I like most about fall is the changing of the leaves."
Where she was when she wrote the poem: "I wrote it at home, but the inspiration came from watching that bird at the beach in Kismet on Fire Island."
A book she's loving: "I'm currently reading What I Loved by Siri Hustvedt, and I'm totally engaged in her depiction of art, the art scene, psychoses, medical history, and telling a fascinating story of interpersonal relationships all at the same time. Very impressive."
Thank you so much, Rosalie, for sharing your beautiful poem. If you'd like to read more poetry by Rosalie, you can sign up for her newsletter by emailing her at rcmgt@yahoo.com.
Photograph by Tom Schelling.