I trudge through the whitewash with my eight-foot surfboard.
Green and brown slippery seaweed squirm past my toes and leash.
Hopping onto my board, I get an extra push through the water.
I begin to paddle with my hands – right, left, right, left
and diving under and over waves tasting the sickening sea salt.
Once past all the chaos of nature’s uncontrollable water,
I reach a part of the water where everything is still.
Everything is at peace with one another.
I can just float on the water with my board
and get lost in the infinite ocean.
As I lie flat on my back and look up at the sky,
the movement of the water makes such a rhythmic beat
I could fall asleep to the sound of it.
Watching for developing waves to come and
deciding which wave to ride,
I begin to paddle in front of the wave right until it catches up with me.
I use all my might and push up from my board.
I may not always catch a wave successfully, but when I do
I get this rush of adrenaline as I move with the water.
Once I jump off my board into the white wash I start all over,
Just to have that moment of inner peace again.

Devin Mallory ’17