Cruising up the Bodega Highway
driving to Jenner-by-the-Sea
where the Russian River
meets wild Pacific waves
my head and heart hum along
with symphony of surf
we pass vast hills of gold --
wild mustard fields blooming
and I tell you I need to learn the secret
of making moments like these last
but you just smile and wonder aloud
whether to order the chowder or oysters
at that sea-beaten shack
by the side of the road
and at the thought of those
plump salty morsels
melting down my throat I see
all we ever really need
is this succulent moment
now

Sharon Auberle is a poet and photographer who served as Door County poet laureate for 2017-2019. She has authored a number of books and her work has appeared in numerous publications and anthologies, the most recent anthology being Hope is the Thing, a gathering of Wisconsin writers on coping in the midst of pandemic times.