standing by the fence

by the picket fence that runs down to the beach
if I look for him, he is not there
if I am he, I see the waves the sand
the coarse beach grass rustling
in the offshore breeze
smell the salt feel the warm sand
falling away underfoot
wonder what gifts the tide
drew in overnight

I know he stands by the fence
waiting for me
waiting for me to return
from the city
waiting with calm focus
looking out and up
Simplicity is such a complicated word
a city word
a word formed in the brain stems
of individuals who live with machines
and chipsets technology and clutter
in the city we seek simplicity
simpli-city
let us simplify
simpli-fy
FYI: simplicity is simply citi
CITI is —

My child lives in a simple place
near the shore
waiting for me
waiting for me to
go down to the edge
and look across the water
and look up
and see the lights in the sky

the lights that seem to be
stars and planets
but really
in my child’s world
from that shore
they are the welcoming voices
of what is so simple