My eyes still ache. My eyes are the ocean. Pale water swirls in my irises. It’s what I miss, what I crave.

Church at 7:00 AM. Sticky petticoats, stifling dresses, sickly sweet incense.

Home for toast and tea. Then all seven in the wagon. To merge with the silken sea.

Alison Bernasconi is a full-time educator, part-time swimmer, and occasional reader.