gulf morning
sunrise silent sheen
moves upon the open shore
death’s deliverance
unfathomable reach
above and below
ever widening swath
fruit of our greed.

estuaries stolen in the twilight
life’s birth place soon long forgotten
lost on a consumptive binge
life’s negation
unbridled wealth.

creatures of life’s origin
choke on shame we do not feel
our labor lost
a simple consequence
traded on un-reckoned tragedy
feast upon it’s gifts.

salvation’s new estuary
gives birth in the depths
beneath the ocean floor
hand that feeds the mouth
kills our spirit with the new tide
high-tide of empire’s state.

currency all around
today we drink
we will live life’s desperation
no harm intended
rejoice in the pennies
a salute to our decline
celebrate our lost soul.

today we weep
lament the generations lost
once life giving sanctuary
ghost now of yesterday
it will never be okay
just forgotten
in whispers
that sometimes pain.