chilled

 

 

not so long ago i spent

days-off

at the santa monica beach

 

adjacent to los angeles, i had my routine

my yellow 

and white striped beach towel

 

my tote with book, water, granola bar, sunscreen

my little self-contained world

i wasn't alone

 

there were a great many people 

doing what i was doing

many families, many beautiful people wearing very little

 

many swimmers, many surfers, many sounds

gulls and music

from a hundred phones, from wind

 

and surf and conversation and laughter

all along the beach 

and boardwalk body-builders, volley-ballers

 

acrobats, skate-boarders, showman and show-offs

artisans of every kind

musicians busking boardwalk and pier

 

a carnival atmosphere, cinematic

not unusual

to see filming at the beach or nearby, models or actors

 

as well as photoshoots of wedding parties and etc

not unusual 

to see the unhoused, not unusual to see the unusual

 

i was one of the throng, one of the many

i read my book

ate my apple, ate my granola bar, cooled off in the ocean

 

reapplied sunscreen, focused on the book, focused 

on the wine-dark sea

i was not oblivious to the sights, nor incurious

 

rather, i was weary of feeling separate from the gaiety

of solitude

so the day and days passed, inevitably

 

the celestial clockwork raised the pacific 

to engulf the sun

the air cooling rapidly, the crowd

 

almost in unison

rising

bundling belongings, finding their way home

 

i lingered to enjoy the quietude

but had no immunity to the chill myself

 

 

 





Poetry by one trick pony The PoetBay support member heart!
Read 135 times
star mini Editors' choice
Written on 2026-08-24 at 03:37

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Clara Mae Gregory The PoetBay support member heart!
Wow. This is well described. It evokes memories too, for I went to that same California beach when I was about 4-5 years old. It is relatable to me, all the same, because Atlantic Beach and Surf City, Carolina Beach, Myrtle and many beaches going down the East Coast and especially in Florida-- are like the one des ribed in the poem. The feeling it gives me, is the chill is symbolic for the isolation one potentially can feel emotionally, especially lost in a sea of strangers.I guess I'm selfish to say I prefer places with few or no people- imagine yourself going there minus the people! Hope this gives a chuckle ( my eyesight is poor now)- The line with the word "throng"-
When I first read, I thought it said "thong"....fortunately my vision corrected and I was able to reread that line correctly....for a second there, you had me trying to visualize you wearing a thong! Imagine that!.

I really enjoyed this one.
2026-09-06


Editorial Team The PoetBay support member heart!
Your poem has been chosen to be featured on the home page of PoetBay. Thank you for posting on our poetry website!
2026-08-31


William Hughes The PoetBay support member heart!
The beaches on the Gulf Coast here are so different from southern California ones. They are specked with casinos and nobody much is doing acrobatics or surfing. But I do remember going there as a child with my older sister and basking to an exotic bronze. I can still smell the Coppertone and Bain de Soleil. Lovely poem from you as always.
2026-08-25


Sameen The PoetBay support member heart!
Santa Monica: where even solitude has a crowd and the sun sets on cue.
2026-08-25


Jamsbo Rockda The PoetBay support member heart!
You paint a wonderful picture. I admire people who can go and do these things on their own. I always felt separated from the world in such situations too.
2026-08-24