August 25, Third Beach by Jessica McMillan the peninsula spins evergreen aroma braiding Pacific current and mountain breeze dressing down to cherry trees stretched in whitewashed sky framing the cliff, their limbs the saviours of naked space. the forest in the city, cool with ancient boulders anchors cedar heavens dangling sunned silk dusted with leaf dander. from bedrock to soil alights dandelion seeds, filaments of ecstasy flicker among White Cabbage wings and tiers of bleeding hearts drip petal fat, soapy as the sea-foam at the shore sluicing across waves of sienna green, belly rolling crab exoskeletons back up to mossy sandstone. seagulls echo the granite seawall rimmed with weekend bathers warming skin and you are on my hip in a bucket hat collecting a minute of mirth, making seaweed bracelets in the name of today, which is praise for all we truly need. Copyright © Jessica McMillan Jessica Lee McMillan (she/her) is a poet and civil servant with recent/forthcoming work in CV2, The Malahat Review, Canadian Literature and others. Her chapbook Shine Like a Dime in the Dirt under the Moon is now available via Pinhole Poetry. Jessica lives in New Westminster, BC with her little family and large dog. www.jessicaleemcmillan.com poetry pause
One of my many odes to Stanley Park. Thanks to @canadianpoets.bsky.social for featuring me in today’s Poetry Pause. #PoetryofPlace #Vancouver
