The Seashore
   by James G. Piatt James G. Piatt

James G. Piatt, a retired professor and octogenarian, lives near the ocean and woods, places that coax him into writing poems. He has had poems nominated for Pushcart and Best of Web awards, and published in The 100 Best Poems Anthologies. He has published 3 poetry books “The Silent Pond” (2012), “Ancient Rhythms,” (2014), and “LIGHT” (2016), and over 870 poems, in over 100 magazines, anthologies, and books. He earned his BS and MA from California Polytechnic University and his doctorate from BYU.


I collect seashells like I
Collect old memories,
Listening to tales
Of lost ships and old
Friends that are gone:

I love the Conch’s texture, the
Feel of briny visions, and the
Coarse sand as it recites old
Stories to me as I walk upon it:

Here, in the din of raucous
Waves, my ears can still
Hear the silence of the
Ocean, and feel the
Movement of the past:

The seashore with its
Wild serenity, calls me
Forth, coaxes me into
Dreams with its roaring
Voice of power:

The ocean’s tide paints precious
Scenes upon my mind that
Create feelings inside my
Lonely being.



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