Black Honey Fare

A girl inhaling clean salty air
on the coastline of the Pacific
once harboring pristine beaches
held in awe in the early fifties

Cradled first in a mother’s arms
embraced in a warm blanket of sun
sand sticking to arms and legs
to tiny feet and pudgy hands raised

Eyes swallowing the ocean forever
encompassing a spotless horizon
just a sweet taste of waves and wind
‘til progress brazenly stepped in

Iron giant beast bereft of eyes
harnessed to flat steel platforms
began springing forth on Hwy 1
like parched wilted weeds in the sun

They anointed the soil like locusts
legs attached with heads in motion
digging deep in the earth drinking
oil thick like honey sickly menacing

Pollution crept in first unnoticed
air thick at times with heady fumes
sticky black tar littered beaches
Tin Can Beach amassed its leaches

Years were swept as incoming tides
realization of what man had made
eyes burned of air toxic to breathe
a process to clean, erect a sheath

Signs were posted of ‘Danger Beware’
bulldozers took away tin cans and trash
Bolsa Chica Beach left in its wake
all was done for humanities’ sake

A woman inhaling remnants of air
on the coastline of the Pacific
iron giants without eyes still stare
never sated on their black honey fare

– Renee Espiru