The Shapes of the World

Stooped low on the beach gathering firewood

Photo: © David Whyte

The Shapes of the World

Stooped low on the beach gathering firewood,
round, bleached and shaped by a gracious weather,
I find the eyes of mythical totems,
the shapes of fish and orca’s fins.

My friend tends the fish, I tend the fire.
Slowly the fish fries in its round black pan.
Beneath, the innumerable shapes of other fish
salted by…