Back in L.A.

Yes, I'm back here in Los Angeles--at least for one night. Then on, this morning, to our Laguna Beach retreat, where we plan to spend the rest of the month, until Labor Day, in glorious stillness and serenity. Understanding, of course, that to make a plan is to invite something quite different to happen. We'll see. I do intend to use this space, in a later edit, to conclude the travelog of our trip up to British Columbia. For the moment, though, this poem arrived at 5:15 this morning. Let's call it...

Restless, Still

Ten days
on the road
and my heart
is still
in transit.
Of my mind
this morning
I ask
stillness;
but my mind
is still
a vagabond,
still filled
with the shfiting
images of pine
trees, inlets
and silver coves,
the salt smell
of seaweed, tide
pools. Here
in the city
sirens, the hum
of constant traffic.
Restless, I wake
too early. I
sit and write
this poem.
I need
to put down
roots, again.