Where So Many Drowned by John Grey

Photo by Joanne Olivieri

Ocean Beach in San Francisco

Where So Many Drowned

The talk, at water’s edge,

is gentle.

Foam whispers to my toes,

my fingers,

of peace and calmness,

the soothing cool

it offered on hot days.



The roiling, the chaos,

are not mentioned.

Nor are the death-dealing depths,

the unpredictable surfaces.

And then there’s

the age-old question,

what comes first,

the ocean or the storm?



These tiny lapping waves

tell sweet, appealing lies.

Beyond the breakers,

there are occasional cries for help.

Otherwise, the truth is speechless.



Bio is as follows:
John Grey is an Australian poet, US resident. Recently published in
Hawaii Pacific Review, Dalhousie Review and Qwerty with work upcoming
in Blueline, Willard and Maple and Red Coyote.