neatly folded in

to our nightly routine —

brushing sand away

seals near the shore

extending their dominion

to include us

in the morning

we realize we haven’t heard

coyotes this year

this gang of squirrels

roughly chiding each other

just above our heads

the moon tonight

a little more than half full

enough to share

together again

after a long time apart —

the lake full of chop

his first night home

our boy talks in his sleep —

in French!

our unspoken thought

as the crying continues —

too young for camping

summer days —

looking for ways to

turn the page slowly