First Aid

Linda Conroy

It’s time to slow and see the ocean stretch from sight to side, 
from these wet feet to where the vast horizon shines. 

Today we’re wound and overwhelmed, bruised by urban din    
while oceans roam, cascade and fall in rolling waves.   

We reach for sea to stop the trammel, to save us with its gift,  
sun on tide’s curve, a consolation for our loss.   

The tumble of the morning surf, as dawn-light touches day, 
a steadfastness that soothes me, calms my errant need.

This fluid mass wraps earth and air, holds rhythms of the world, 
washing pain from every day, its welcome mystery 

the roar of waves’ oblivion, indifferent to who I am.    
No end in sight. Without it how would we survive?   

The Science

Cyclical variations in sea level are related to changes in relative positions of the moon and sun. The Moon’s gravitational pull tugs on the Earth and generates tidal forces that cause the oceans to rise and fall. When the gravitational pull of the Moon and of the Sun coincide the amount of water displaced is larger, and the tides are higher.  At other times the pull of the Moon and Sun work against each other causing smaller tides.

Some people report that breathing sea air eases their breathing and supports respiratory health. Swimming in buoyant sea water reduces muscle tension, and the sound of waves has been shown to help manage the level of hormones that regulate the body’s stress response. It is reported that people who live near the ocean have lower risk of mental health difficulties.

The Poet

Linda Conroy was born in England and now lives in Bellingham, Washington, on the West Coast of the United States. She is a retired social worker who likes to write about the complexities of human nature and our connection with the natural world. She believes it is necessary in the current times to remind ourselves of beauty of the Earth, and the importance of community. She is the author of two poetry collections, Ordinary Signs and Familiar Sky.

Next poem: My Father as Wave by Mobi Warren