Born by the Black Sea

She has Black Sea eyes

and Black Sea hair.

She washed ashore

one day, whole

a complete work

turned in by the waves.

She walked a thousand miles

and then another thousand,

came to me,

laid her head

in my lap,

and said "Keep me,

I'm here."

And she is,

she is here

and I keep her

the way that I can,

but I know

when she breathes

she still breathes

the Black Sea air.

June 2, 2016