Watching
Looking down, the cat paced
tight circles on the beach,
sniffing sand and rocks.
In late afternoon light
its fur shone
like amber.
When it entered
the shallows,
it kept circling.
When a wave hit —
it shook its head,
biting the air.
When two swans passed by,
they looked whiter
than usual.
My wife said it is trying to die.
I didn’t know
what to do — it was wild.
I just watched.
That night a rescue copter kept circling
the bay, rumbling, aiming its cone of light.
I couldn’t tell what for.