At low tide a mess

By D.S. Maolalai

 

too fast driving north

up the coast from the city

toward howth, and on up

toward skerries. I have sometimes

a cut from lead foot, especially

on amber and approaching

long roads – I accelerate.

the pace here is perfect –

all coast to one side. at high

tide all seaside, at low tide

a mess: dirt sand, broken trolleys

with crabs picking decomposing

birds. but the point –

it’s straight forward and I go

that direction, as it curves

like a claw behind suburbs,

and fast. I move like the blade

of a saw against wood. I move

past the trees and their shadows.

car windows open, the radio pawing

at the soft of the night with a hesitant,

kitten-shy, curious hand.

 

D.S. Maolalai has been described by one editor as “a cosmopolitan poet” and another as “prolific, bordering on incontinent”. His work has nominated thirteen times for Best of the Net, ten for the Pushcart and once for the Forward Prize, and has been released in three collections; “Love is Breaking Plates in the Garden” (Encircle Press, 2016), “Sad Havoc Among the Birds” (Turas Press, 2019) and “Noble Rot” (Turas Press, 2022). You can find him on instagram: @dsmaolalai