Outgoing

 Outgoing

There is quiet as afternoon 
slides toward evening.
Leaves of autumn,
scarlet, golden, ochre,
hardly stir.
 Blue sky darkens suddenly,
winds freshen,
rain sweeps in.
Though powerful,
the storm is quick
and everything settles anew.
I glance across the bay.
Golden light spreads
 across distant treetops, 
imbues calming waters.
That, right there is enough
to stir awe and joy.
But there’s more.
So much more.
Slowly…slowly… slowly…
colors start to tease
above the glow.
Spectrum stretches,
reflection reaches, 
Divinity distills. 
Outgoing all -
season, storm, day, tide.
An earthy, celestial,
cleansing  mix
of wonder.
Later, after a storm of a different nature,
I walk by the ocean,
again as the tide recedes.
I feel an outgoing of my own,
grateful for that which flows away
and that which permeates within.

Sarah Carlson
October 22, 2026

A Tidal Shift

 A Tidal Shift

I sit alone by a coastal bay,
far from the comforts of home.
I am drained from an odd struggle
just a day ago.
One that didn’t fit in this place
or in me.
I watch the tide as it reaches 
fullness and then shifts,
slowly pulling away from the shore.
I realize that whatever flowed
away from me is right.
Like the outgoing tide,
it was simply time.
So, I sit in wonder,
feel the fullness of the woods
and the waters.
Woodpeckers come and go,
working on a gnarled tree nearby.
Golden leaves of aspen and birch
shimmer in a gentle breeze.
A lone water bird basks 
in late morning sun 
that sparkles on everything -
indigo waters, 
ancient rocks, 
sea grasses, 
and me. 
I feel vast and open, 
peaceful and strong,
supported and loved.
Though deeply weary,
to my surprise,
I feel still and just and right.

Sarah Carlson
October 9, 2026