Mermaid

the sea in the wind
salt, sand, and tropical sun
tangled in her hair

amid the waves-
she watches ships
ply her waters

Summer

clumps of garden weeds-
the summer sun warms my back
and eases my mind

a golden breeze-
the wind caught
in her hair

Late

the party over-
blackened wicks smolder in the
citronella pots

constellations-
old friends and
old stories

Burden

down by the river
releasing slights collected
after all these years

on my back-
the weight of countless
grains of sand

Forsaken

still she counts the ships-
her thick wool sweater stained red
with the setting sun

date night-
she sits at a table
set for one

Lakeside

an empty rowboat
tied down to a weathered dock
rocking in the swells

salt spray-
the old pier’s
bleached bones

Summer

an old swimming hole-
piles of clothes left abandoned
on the grassy shore

a frayed rope swing-
old memories
bittersweet

Pinned

a beast of burden-
the cold weight of my shadow
pins me to the past

shadow boxes-
beetle’s wings
on display

Return

reliving the past-
why am I drawn back to you
time and time again

poison ivy-
the inevitability
of regrowth

Regrets

your name on my phone-
against my better judgment
I answer the call

labor day-
the first taste
of pumpkin spice