there are worse things
than having an unexpectedly large wave
crash while you are trying to count
shades of purple in a sunset
each gray in illuminated clouds
every tint painted on the surface—
worse things
than being swept away

there are people
who will die without ever seeing
beyond the surf
where dolphin fins rise and fall
never have hair tossed by a salty breeze
never laugh with the gulls
or cut their sandy foot on a sharpened shell

blood flows differently here—
aside from a life well lived
this might be the only sacrifice my gods appreciate—
stinging wound
lets me know just how alive
alive can be

so what if I left the light on
door unlocked
shore leaves no room for regret
unturned page misplaced cell forgotten eyes
only your string-bound kites matter
sun-bleached sand dollar
skittering crabs in twisted shells
toe-drawn design in the sand 
wavy lines waiting to be washed away

Alan Gann facilitates writing workshops for under-served youth at Texans Can Academy, and wrote DaVerse Works, Big Thought’s performance poetry curriculum. A multiple Pushcart and Best-of-the-Net nominee, Alan’s has one book of poetry, Adventures of the Clumsy Juggler, published by Ink Brush Press. Journals that have published his work include Red Fez, Dragon Poet Review, San Pedro River Review, Main Street Rag, Red River Review, and Cybersoleil. His nonexistent spare time is spent outdoors: biking, birding, and photographing dragonflies.