by John Muro
Beneficiaries of the tides, the birds
are forever foraging in their spry,
shoreline hustle, donning calico
plumage and garish orange legs
as if they want the world to take
note of their ritual rush towards
– and away from – the water’s
edge, and how I envy their small,
stocky bodies overturning broken
shells and stones as if nothing
could deter them and, silly me,
still searching dumbly for words
of forgiveness that are not so
easily found or lifted but rather
remain buried beneath layers
of sand that refuse to wash away.
A resident of Connecticut, John Muro has authored three volumes of poems. His most recent collection, A Bountiful Silence, was published in the Fall of 2025. John is a four-time Pushcart nominee, a three-time Best of the Net nominee and he has received several commendations for his work, including a 2023 Grantchester Award. John's poems, which are often inspired by nature, have appeared in numerous literary journals and anthologies, including Acumen, Belfast Review, Connecticut River Review, Delmarva, Emerge Literary Journal, Sky Island, the Valparaiso Review and elsewhere. Find John on Instagram @johntmuro
Emerge Literary Journal 