How do you leave a place?

The smokey cascade washes away the coastline, like the ocean will one day. The old liberals wander in and out of cafes. The caramel crack cookies sit in their tank.

How do you leave a place?

You bike the sea wall.
So many times you forget which time you saw what.
You swim in the same water the orcas do.
You let random curbs spark the muscle memory of first love.
You go to the book store and take one last sniff.
You jot down all the spots.

A place

you put your hands.
your heart sank.
you learned to live with yourself.
you gave up.
you left your dignity.
you rode by almost every day.

Look ma no hands.
Look now ma.
No hands.
No home.
On we go.

Away from the crisp kelp,
the otters’ streets.

How do you meet a place?