Waiting for the Light

by Margaret Beverland, Angela Terry, Samantha Warnier, Jennifer Sutherland, Barbara Hay, and Michael Dylan Welch

First published in California Quarterly 48:4, Winter 2022, page 41, published by the California State Poetry Society. Originally written 19 August 2013 aboard the “Catalina Jet” en route to Catalina Island from Long Beach, California. See also “Face to Face.”

the light

in the child’s eyes—a starfish

in her hand Margaret

swordfish on the grill

summer heat Angela

electric eel

alone in the blue

waiting for the light Samantha

nets cast

into the sunshine Jennifer

low tide

she catches the light

in her hair Barbara

for sale at the gift shop

a fish fossil Michael

A note about this composition: All participants in this rengay had just attended the 2013 Haiku North America conference aboard the Queen Mary in Long Beach, California, except for Samantha, who was a stranger sitting next to us on our boat trip. We needed a sixth person, and she was game to participate. Thank you, Samantha.