After breakfast
The fog coming across the water
The ferry sounds its horn
The seals sun on the little dock
Set out for them
You could forget where you are
As the sound of waves distract you
And the surf laps against the shore
You could forget that you
Have to go home tomorrow
Back to those routines
Instead of these
And the gull cries
Calling you back to now
“Don’t worry we will be here
When you return”
And the fog keeps rolling
And blurs the seals
On their little rocking dock
I visited the Mukai Farm and Garden remembering and honoring the Japanese community that lived and farmed strawberries here before WWII. They were taken away during the war to internment camps. As I strolled the gardens there was a labyrinth with lanterns hung and intermittent Haiku streaming from pages strung with clothes pins as well. I was inspired to write these poems below.
I.
Immigrants settle
Growing fields of strawberries
Taken and interned
II.
War has many faces
Death and life roll through the land
Tears flow unending
III.
When will we return?
Children speak our unspoken words
Can hearts hope again?
IV.
Some return, rebuild
Life twists and turns with the sun
Trauma stays within
We took several hikes, this one runs along Shingle Mill Creek to Fern Cove.
They clear-cut cedar
Giants turned to roof shingles
The forest still grieves
