And now I cannot remember

how I would have had it.

It is not a conduit (confluence?)

But a place.

The place, of movement and an order.

The place of old order.

But the tail end of the movement is new.

Driving us to say what we are thinking.

It is so much like a beach after all

Where you stand and think of going no further.

And it is good when you get to no further.

It is like a reason that picks you up

And places you where you always wanted

To be.

This far.

It is fair to be crossing, to have crossed.

Then there is no promise in the other.

Here it is.

Steel and air, a mottled presence,

Small panacea and lucky for us.

Then it got very cool.

-John Ashbery