Who is the ocean now? Will it listen
to the conversation of the sun and wind, enlist opinion
of the moon as it plans the tide’s response?
Will it fling itself upon the rocks,
vent its venom on the cliffs that crumble,
creeping in to kick the cottages above?
Can it calm and soothe itself within vicissitudes
of mood that hamper man’s maneuvers
on firm ground?
Does it hold secrets in its strengths, its depth
of divination from the center of the earth,
the heart of who we may become?
And will it trickle to our feet, whisper to us,
be our new seer, once it knows we’re ready,
now, to hear wise words?
—
Linda Conroy, a retired social worker, enjoys writing about the complexities of human nature and our connection to the natural world. Her poems have appeared in many journals and anthologies. She is the author of the poetry collections, Ordinary Signs and Familiar Sky.
