Carol Judkins

Point Pinos

Perched high above the sea, this old lighthouse. Inside, the parlour. Polished Douglas fir floor. Starched doilies, kerosene lantern, a rocking chair by the hearth, patchwork quilt draped on the footstool. Over the fireplace, a portrait of Emily Fish, lightkeeper in Victorian times. Bone china tea cups on a table. Emily's sideboard. An open window.

ocean fog...
strains of a sea shanty
drift from a wooden ship

Sunset. Thick gray shrouds the horizon. Trees darken to smudged charcoal silhouettes.

On-off on-off on – the beacon's steady pattern. The Monterey pine behind the lighthouse shines, disappears in concert with the light. A brisk wind swirls through the trees. The breathy songs from the pines, faintly familiar.