A New Year’s Visit to the Oregon Coast--By Jake Cosmos Aller--United States

A New Year’s Visit to the Oregon Coast

On the last day of 2017

We drove to Bookings on the Oregon Coast

A pleasant drive through the mystic fog-shrouded Redwoods

Gathered gloom of the dark woods foretold my dismal mood

Slept soundly to the sound of the ocean

The super moonlight filled the

beach outside our window

with an eerie light all night long

As we slept people walked the beach

Enjoying the full moon

And the unusually warm weather

Setting off fireworks at midnight

In the morning I went for a nice walk along the beach

thought about the year that was

As the waves pounded the shore

The peaceful ocean waves

Reminded me the end of my life

is coming closer to my door

(first published by former People)

Jake Cosmos Aller grew up in Berkeley, California during the 70's, served in the Peace Corps in Korea then taught ESL, Government, and Asian studies before and after doing graduate work in Seattle.  He JOINED THE U.S. FOREIGN SERVICE, serving 27 years in ten countries.  He's a full-time writer since his retirement - many poems and stories are published.