Funter Bay Traverse

Published 8:01 am Wednesday, October 14, 2015

To get from skiff to cabin across a curved expanse of exposed beach at low tide,

 stepping in slow careful assent across

   a mudflat densely populated with clams and eel grass,

      a shell-to-shell carpet of blue mussels occupying

        spaces between and under mounds of bladderwort,

         a swath of barnacle encrusted rocks then

           over the same cobbled confusion of glacier erratics into

              territory where multitudes of snails sun themselves,

          a loose arrangement of low growing goose tongue interspersed 

             among clumps of grass and beach greens staking

                claim to a sandy stretch of beach that indicates 

                   the farther reach of high tides, and

        finally through a tall leisurely density of beach grass and

           cow parsnips, in fullness of bloom, out of reach of high

              tides but not their influences,

     with each step, no matter the gentle intent, the history of the earth is changed.

Glen Ray deeply enjoys life in Juneau and exploring spiritual qualities of ordinary experience through the lenses of meditation, qigong, tai chi and sculpture.