Back to the Island

Beaufort sits across the new Gallants Channel bridge

Like a venerable elder statesman,

The soul of the area,

Keeping watch like a sentinel over everything to the West.

Through downtown Morehead City,

Once our home,

And over the east side bridge to the island.

The new day sun hits it first,

As the dawn slowly rolls out

Across Bogue Banks’ 21 miles.

Atlantic Beach, once an outlying province -

Has become our refuge, our respite, our haven.

Dare I say, adopted home?

The waves off Fort Macon Point -

Making sure not to drift into the channel,

The early morning fishermen on the pier,

And the 4 Corners Diner at the circle.

Idle Hour, listening to the house band

Playing Buffett, Marley or 60’s surf music

In the biergarten —

Our barefoot toes kneading the sand.

Or just hitting the Shark Shack to see-

Are the grouper tacos on the menu today?

AB Surf Shop, the “board room.”

On west into Pine Knoll Shores where things

Flatten out and calm down,

And coastal live oaks reign supreme.

Salter Path and coastal wetlands-

Aquariums, rays, sharks, turtles, and sea otters.

Anchor Draft House.

Florence destroyed their deck

Overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway,

Like she did a lot of things here,

But they just rebuilt it,

All of it.

Bigger and better than before.

Sat on that deck alone,

On perfect summer or fall days,

Even during a languid, shimmering winter,

Where it never really gets cold,

The “off season,” the locals call it,

The tourists and interlopers gone,

Watching the sailboats and shrimpers

Glide back and forth to destinations unknown,

A pen and notebook in hand.

Reflecting.

Indian Beach and the RVs,

The folks who keep the secret.

Don’t let it escape!

And finally into Emerald Isle.

The first hint of encumbered civilization,

Encroaching a bit.

Grocery stores, a few bars.

It’s okay on that side of the island.

And up and over the west side bridge.

And back to the mainland.

Where it all starts again,

And you watch the clock

Until you can get back out

To the island.

Glen Hines is the author of the Anthology Trilogy of books — Document, Cloudbreak, and Crossroads — and the recently released Cathedrals in the Twilight, all available at Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble. His writing has also been featured in Sports Illustrated, Task & Purpose, and the Human Development Project.