The Sea

On the walk to the beach I passed the time by drawing a cube
around myself with an imaginary pencil and ruler.

I felt more assured inside this model
of solid and dotted lines
I would inhabit until a rain washed it away.

I moved through the girl of space
and the boy of time, free as a bird
being carried by its owner in a wire cage,

free of responsibility,
free of my thoughtpack
and the heavy vase of emotion.

And when I reached the sand
I walked on the shoreline in my graphite box-- water on one
side, land on the other.

I must look like Mister Geometry,
I said to myself as I stood there in the foam gazing at the
waves rolling up their hair.

And where is Mrs. Geometry? I wondered
as the dunes, so many bare shoulders,
turned away from me and went to sleep.


Billy Collins

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