I propose Generation Feeling—I believe that, by increasing awareness of our feelings and what they mean for us, we learn about ourselves and others, and the path forward becomes easier. In this poem, I reflect on the sensations, sights, and feelings I associate with visiting the ocean.
In the sloshing liquid shine, glints glancing off
crests both angular and soft,
smooth and ragged, foamy and clear,
I feel.
I feel . . .
buoyed;
light;
shaken.
Swirls of silken water rush
around my shins, suck
on my heels with each step and slap my thighs—
a playful admonishment.
Me, a happy submission.
Molten green sings a siren
song. Murky deep, clouding my feet,
might suck me under.
The surface will forget me.
I feel . . .
afraid;
unknown;
abuzz.
Pierced from below, I seek my
assailant. There is none. There is nothing.
Nobody. Nowhere. Anywhere.
Everywhere. I drag air into my lungs. I laugh.