William Peters Reads a Poem

Listen as William Peters reads a poem from his 25-year collection of poems, Writing in Sand.

Forgotten Gift on Trenance’s Hillside 

 

Climbing the path above the 

The beach cove cliffs, I see  

A welcome hillside sight. 

 

A bench, with wooden posts 

Set into concrete support legs, 

Leans forward on the tilted slope

 

As if reaching out to me.  

 

The hillside grass is long and 

Invites me to come forward 

For a closer look. I’m ready.  

 

I walk up and sit on one end 

To rest. I am high above the 

Cove, the beach, and the surf.  

 

I sit, short sleeved, in the breeze.  

Waves below echo up to me.  

This pause in the sun is just right.  

 

On the other side of the bench 

I see what someone left behind  

In the sun. An unspotted banana 

 

And I sit together in the sun.  

We are here but not of here.  

We are here for a while and 

 

Then—

We are gone.  

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