Trestle Bay

~Where the Columbia river meets the Pacific ocean

Beach sand is notched with hooves
two toes in front tell how
elk wandered to water this morning, then
strolled back to the trees. Their tracks are
large scallop shapes, cloven.

I imagine the elk cows
as they weave chestnut bodies
through dune grass.
Tailing them, the bull's thick neck
holds a big head, his muzzle tips up.

Around the corner of this arm shaped spit
the river opens its wide fingers,
soon river will join the sea forever.

On a taller sand drift
wild lupine quivers in the breeze,
between wide grass blades,
pea-like clusters wink purple.

Above, a tern sends out a gravelly rolling call,
hovers, looks down with instruction;
find fish, pollinate, protect your herd,
find your sea, be safe, travel into the wind.