I

It is strange
to think
I sit lower
than the sea
my home
built
like a sandcastle
perched
mere inches
above the tide,
with a child’s faith
the waves
will not rise
and sweep it all away.

II

I walk
in forests
that have never
felt the ocean
tasted salt
heard
with leafy ears
the cry
of seagulls.
Here
I dig.
Here
I put my hands
in the bones of the earth
and find
not rocks
but seashells.
Here (as birds sing)
I shake
glad
that I can swim.

Robin Koman is an author, educator, and game designer focused upon the power of various media, including games, film, and literature, to prompt positive social change even as they serve an entertainment function. Robin has been published in journals including: The Chicago Tribune’s Printers Row, Fiction Southeast, Vestal Review, and Duende, among others. She has been nominated for multiple Pushcarts and for Best New American Voices.