Poem for Monday and Issaquah Salmon Hatchery

A Song for the Salmon
By David Whyte

For too many days now I have not written of the sea,
nor the rivers, nor the shifting currents
we find between the islands.

For too many nights now I have not imagined the salmon
threading the dark streams of reflected stars,
nor have I dreamt of his longing
nor the lithe swing of his tail toward dawn.

I have not given myself to the depth to which he goes,
to the cargoes of crystal water, cold with salt,
nor the enormous plains of ocean swaying beneath the moon.

I have not felt the lifted arms of the ocean
opening its white hands on the seashore,
nor the salted wind, whole and healthy
filling the chest with living air.

I have not heard those waves
fallen out of heaven onto earth,
nor the tumult of sound and the satisfaction
of a thousand miles of ocean
giving up its strength on the sand.

But now I have spoken of that great sea,
the ocean of longing shifts through me,
the blessed inner star of navigation
moves in the dark sky above
and I am ready like the young salmon
to leave his river, blessed with hunger
for a great journey on the drawing tide.

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I had an ophthalmologist appointment on Monday (a new one, referred by the PCP I saw last month), so after morning laundry, hummus and pita, and various other excitement, I got my eyes dilated and examined. Then I couldn't see straight for the rest of the afternoon, so I made a bracelet out of sparkly beads that's a copy of one I saw at one of the craft fairs we went to and I took a walk to the beach -- it was cooler and more overcast than the last time I was there. 

We had veggie sausages and fries for dinner, then we watched baseball and Futurama till 9, when the new episodes of Only Murders in the Building dropped. Ahahaha it is awesome (I think Meryl Streep did it, but really it could be anyone except Martin Short because I can't come up with a single reason he'd want to). Also we watched this week's ridiculous Miracle Workers, which I must say suffered by comparison. Fish and other sights at the Issaquah Salmon Hatchery yesterday: