On shore watching
patiently waiting
for grey whales.
Scanning grey-blue sky
into grey-blue horizon
on grey-blue ocean
searching for a grey puff of breath
a fluke, sign of a whale amid the grey tipped waves.
Staring.
Scanning.
Watching.
Impatiently waiting for grey whales
in the blue-grey ocean
before the blue-grey horizon
under the blue-grey sky.
Staring.
Scanning.
Watching.
Waiting for grey whales
makes me
blue.
.
I’ve wanted to see whales since I read this book as a kid. 3rd trip to the coast during the grey whale migration, and still no sighting.
April 13, 2014. Diana Gabaldon trivia: Fred Phleger, author of the above book, was a professor at Scripps Institution of Oceanography from 1951 to 1977. Diana earned her MS in Marine Biology at Scripps in 1975.
Shawn L. Bird 
I love the imagery of color. My favorite line is “searching for a grey puff of breath.” Those words put the picture clearly in my mind and I felt the coolness of the air on the shore in my mind. Very nice poem! ~Susan
I’m glad, because “grey spray of breath” is the alternative and it was a hard decision! 😉
It brings to light an old Cheyenne saying: wait without expectation.
That is quite a lovely expression! Thanks for sharing!
i will so love to join you!
Tomorrow we’re getting serious about it. We’re climbing into a boat. I don’t get along with boats. Wish us luck!
I also really like the imagery in this poem. Also the words and structure are beautiful. Nice.
Thanks.
Really beautiful imagery in this poem…..i love this…..well done…..
Thank you.
Keep trying. I hope you see them one day ~
And I did! Excellent trip with Island Adventures. 🙂
That’s really great 🙂
It was!
No sightings, huuummmmm, you think they now fly Southwest to avoid the whale watchers? 🙂
lol
Ah, don’t give up, good luck with the boat ride, hope you see them! The yearning in your words is lovely.
4! I saw 4! 😀 One was 383 who is a regular visitor on the spring migration between Mexico and Alaska. I think he’s been coming for 13 years. Here are some photos of him: http://blog.island-adventures.com/2014/03/feeding-gray-whales.html I didn’t get any, since I was too busy looking!