At Hanalei, the bay’s all glitter
and mild thrash
beach chairs striped towels blown umbrellas
On the sand a drift log’s roots still clutch
smooth grey rocks it unearthed, coming down
where the river rushes fresh water into the bay
December heat after a week of storm
brilliant sunshine the stillness of it
and the longing in the middle
--you are not here—
egrets fly to the top of the palms
white sentries of the visible world
they strut the wet ditches
ahead of the lawn machines
or walk the grass
on the edge of the mown course
with the Nenes and chickens,
the red-crested cardinal and the doves
Neighborhood cats dart in and out
of a pink hibiscus hedge
where last week you watched with me
all the unfoldings: gold sunrise in the trees
pale sunset over breaking waves
night wind in the palms
dark-sky island
where we searched for Sirius among the stars—
Alicia Hokanson lives in Seattle in the Piper’s Creek watershed, and also spends time on Waldron Island in the Salish Sea.
Her newest poetry collection, Perishable World, published by Pleasure Boat Studio, was awarded the Eyelands Book Awards grand prize in December 2021.
