Hokkaido (Train, Traveling East)

There on the sea wall out from the left
train window I see two gulls perched
then ten then thirty or fifty
more with each chug of the track more
ten more from the window perched like perfect tallies
counting my moments against me they pile up
until the sea is just a small blue comma caught
between the gray-white rush of wings turn
out towards the right to see the evergreens the cedar shrubs
the odd milky birch or two to see them
huddled together against the bone damp mist to see them
huddled feigning silent stillness feigning safety but I know
because I’ve seen them I know that they quiver all the same yes
even in the mist I’ve seen them
finding no solace
turn back again to the sea wall the gulls have past
now many tracks behind now
just wall just sea wall dark blue now ocean
gurgling against the salt grass and concrete
then miraculously there beneath the gray
a raven muddles on against the wind

Jake Romm's writing and photography have appeared in The New Inquiry, Humble Arts Foundation, Door Factory (Mikros), MAP6, Ain't Bad, Loosen Art Gallery, Protean Magazine, Yogurt Magazine (Quarantine), Dodho Magazine, Across the Margin, and Reading The Pictures. Jake can be found on twitter @jake_romm and instagram @jakeromm