Yahweh
By Sydney Horton
Inhale
The ocean fills its lungs
Steps back from the mainland’s shallow touch
Sucking loose sand and invertebrate
friends close
Exhale
Releases all that’s within its tidal grip
The sand is restored
Crabs are free to roam
Out of the water’s grip
If they can scurry out of the foamy lip
Before
Inhale
Glimmering, gray clouds
Menace the sky
Change the tide’s rhythm to
Fractious
Absorbing everything
Without thought of how much
Strength it takes
Exhale
Not letting go of anything long
Enough before bringing
It back to itself once more
Yah
I examine the things closest
To me and realize there’s too much
Seaweed, water bottles, decay
Weh
I release them into the mainland’s grip
not mine anymore
YAH—INHALE
WEH—EXHALE
Yah, inhale
Weh, exhale
The last grumbles of thunder
vibrate the air
The foam of the ocean is not so
Violent
Inhale
The sun sets
the tide rolls toward the last drips
Of orange sun
Exhale
The waves unfurl softly
The evening settles into cool
Stillness
Yah-Weh
Yah-Way