At the Water’S Edge: Collected Haiku

By Steve K. Bertrand

At the Waters Edge has been inspired by a lifetime of living near the Salish Sea. Through poetry, the book explores the flora, fauna, and life experiences associated with living near the waters of the Pacific Northwest. The poems reflect the ebb and flow of tide as we pass through the various seasons (spring, summer, autumn, and winter). Like the salmon, an icon of the Pacific Northwest, many of the poems reflect this circle of life, which has intrigued people for centuries. Utilizing a variety of poetic forms, the book contains over two hundred pages of poems about our unique coastal community. It is my hope that you enjoy this exploration of our magnificent region of the world. Enjoy!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Sep 20, 2017
• ISBN: 9781543450910

Steve K. Bertrand

For this pictorial history of Paine Field, Steve K. Bertrand has selected more than 200 images from the local community, historical societies, regional libraries, and state archives. He has traced the rich history of Paine Field from its earliest days to its present status as a bustling airport and commercial aviation center. These photographs provide a glimpse into the people and events that influenced this small community in the Pacific Northwest.

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Copyright © 2017 by Steve K. Bertrand.

ISBN:      Softcover      978-1-5434-5092-7

                  eBook         978-1-5434-5091-0

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 09/19/2017

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For Jessie

Preface

Each Outgoing Wave

Standing chest deep in these tropical

Caribbean waters, it’s easy

to let go of the stress in my life,

& watch it drift away on each outgoing wave.

Steve K. Bertrand

"If you must speak ill of another,

do not speak it,

write it in the sand

near the water’s edge."

Napoleon Hill

Walking along

the water’s edge, I scavenge beach

for sea shells…

Summer vacation –

Is it Friday

or Saturday?

Watering the backyard

barefoot –

thorn in my foot!

Dawn –

gulls on rocky beach waiting

for low tide…

Lightning in the mountains –

we hike in

to check for fires…

August evening –

bees buzzing around

the lavender…

Drowning in the birdbath –

I lift out

the yellow jacket…

Hummingbird –

what flowers are on

your menu today?

Speaking to you in dreams,

love, often –

you’re off wandering meadows…

Gust of wind –

flower falls

from Butterfly bush.

When I pick

blackberries, I focus my attention

on each berry.

My dry birdbath –

where squirrel has taken

to hiding peanuts.

Dinner table –

we take off our baseball mitts,

bow our heads in prayer.

How quickly sunflowers

drink

their vase of water!

Dusk –

hummingbird draws his last sip

of nectar for the night.

The nature of dark clouds,

in time –

they pass.

Something about summer –

sunflowers

& lady bugs.

August –

already maple tree leaning

toward autumn.

The neighbor’s noisy party –

I contemplate

flowers in my garden…

Winter –

most of the boats are safely tucked

in marina.

New neighbors –

they pull up my daisies

on their side of fence.

Late August –

scraping peeled paint from southern

side of house…

Tending the garden –

she makes

little love noises…

How rusty the metal bucket;

but –

it still holds water!

Gardening –

she has her way,

I have mine.

Tending the cutting garden –

I discover

where squirrel hid his peanuts!

How sad –

that pretty, young girl

working the streets.

Spirit of the brook –

such a beautiful song

she sings!

The neighbor got a moped –

he rides it

to the mailbox.

Sometimes my wife has dinner

with a girlfriend,

she says – It’s cheaper than therapy!

TV time –

my wife votes CNN;

I vote American Pickers.

To escape August heat,

we walk river’s bank

in shadow of willows…

In the tea garden,

we sip our tea

with humility…

Visiting daughter

in the hospital – iv & cell phone

plugged in.

Do you think you’re a bird,

squirrel,

perched on my birdfeeder?

Summer –

sea & sky competing

for blueness.

Stray cat,

who caught the crow, upon his death –

eaten by crows.

On my back porch,

crows have helped