In this stolen summer of cinder and
smoulder and blaze and ash …
I watch a woman pull a fish from the
ocean—foil flashing flutter against
the evening sky—a shiny fish flag
unlatched quickly and flicked
into rush of sea on sand …
I see the silver of it disappear gratefully
beneath the cool swell …
Fish and sea and sky and woman
and my smoke heavy heart salved
(for a moment) in this stolen summer …

Anita Patel

 

Listen to Anita reading ‘Moment’ (0:54))

 

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