La Jolla Shores Beach Children’s Pool
by Maya Nordine

Today I felt complete
neutrality trudging through sand,
wiggling and wrapping my toes
around sea berries.
I walked right up the edge
of the rocks, inhaled, ready
to go splat, but stopped
myself.
I saw my friend
down below. Waved.
They were playing with seals
in the tides. I smiled,
pointing to the sign—
Please Share The Shores With The Seals—
and laughed, but
they turned their head too soon.
Nearby, snorkelers
wore seaweed like scarves.
I worried they would be pulled
under, drowned. I felt a pull
to be alone, to rinse myself
free of sand tucked up
into all the wrong places.
I’m no fun at all.
I thought of what I’d be
missing—all the little seal noses
poking out from the foam, but it’s something
I’d already seen.

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Maya Nordine is a poet living in LA.

@mayamyamaija     mayanordine.xyz