Ocean Poems

By James G. Piatt

The Seashore

“For whatever we lose (like a you or a me),

it’s always ourselves we find in the sea.”

e.e. cummings

The soft sandy shore, spreading like a dusty yellow 
carpet reflected the sun’s warm rays onto my bare 
shoulders as the morning melted into the balminess 
of noon, causing long forgotten briny memories to appear.

Bones of ocean creatures bleached to a pure white
were tossed in by the tide to the shore. They sat waiting
to become precious relics for a child’s collection 
of shells, and my visual memories of a special day.

Singular white translucent puffs of moisture scudded 
above the shore, creating a sense of calmness, and
the drumming of the waves’ pounding roar removed
melancholy images from my mind.

The briny scent of the sea entered my senses, becoming my guide to new memories, and as words of self-etched thoughts in the sand were washed away by the ebbing foam-covered tide, new memories were formed. 

Traces of anxiety and sadness disappeared into the sea
as white-whiskered waves rolling in with the tide
arrived, then ebbed back into the depths from the warm sandy shore. The sea’s soft droning voice was telling me that I had found my soul again.

At The Shore

The white sand spreads for miles and miles, 
and blue ocean waves coming in and going 
out reflect the sun’s warm rays spilling 
warmth upon my bare shoulders.

The morning melts into the softness of noon,
as singular white puffy veils of moisture 
scud above, and the scent of orange 
blossoms wafting from my iced tea, 
create a sense of serenity.

Tiny ocean creatures line the shore, 
A tasty lunch for hungry terns and gulls.
The briny scent of the sea enters my senses 
bringing in new memories, for me to savor 
during future hours. 

Traces of anxiety and melancholy have 
disappeared and calmness has arrived
in this salty blue place of softly rolling waves 
and solitude.

A Sonnet to the Sea

At the soft sandy beach where I dream,
And watch brown pelicans flit and fly
Far above the churning seas’ mighty sigh;
Feelings from the sandy dunes do teem 
In my searching mind, vague and unforeseen.
And over the yellow sand, so soft and dry.
White clouds scud far up high in the sky, 
As seagulls dart to the tasty sea urchins.
My happy feelings persist and lazily wander
To all the warm visions that I have sought.
While dreaming of an exotic and distant shore:	
My mind continues to search and even ponder
On the happy feelings that the visions brought,
From sea images and the mariner’s ancient lore.

James G. Piatt, a twice Best of Net nominee and four-time Pushcart nominee, has had five poetry collections, “The Silent Pond,”(2012),“Ancient Rhythms,” (2014), “LIGHT,” (2016),“Solace Between the Lines,” (2019), and “Serenity,” (2022), and over 1770 poems published worldwide.

He earned his doctorate from BYU, and his BS and MA from California Polytechnic University, SLO.