I Smell the Ocean

in the quiet of my Tallahassee living room.

for as I like to say:

I like the ocean except for the sun,

sand, and salt water. In my old age,

I love a spring, or even a city pool,

filled with old people soaking and kids

squealing and splashing and having to be

told to not run on the wet concrete deck.

This ocean I smell is from over fifty years ago,

where two young boys played in the blue green water

and snow white sand, standing alternatively

in the knee deep water

and standing against a chest high breaker.

Doing this for hours at a time,

sun burning, and freckled all over,

so thirsty, but not wanting to get out

and cross 98 to the kitchenette where

Mama had us cold bottles of Coca Cola.