“I walk along the shoreline — waves crash”

By Angelica Marin

With the sound of my fears 

and in the shapes of my memories. 

The sea laps the sand quietly. 

It feigns innocence as its salt

erodes the earth. 

As the tide grows colder

the night carries on 

and my conscience darkens. 

I feel fear approach 

and recede — 

as the moon walks 

its familiar path. 

I pray it takes me 

in its orbit.  

I walk along the shoreline — waves crash was inspired by Virginia Woolf's The Waves and the turbulence of adolescent emotion. I wanted to write about the hopelessness that follows deep sadness, using natural imagery that spoke to me personally. This is one of my favorite pieces I've ever written.