“Time flies over us,
but leaves
its shadow behind.”
— Nathaniel Hawthorne
standing as sentries
closed up and vacant faces
staring out to sea
loneliness replaces life
shadows erase hard edges
* * *
Eighteen Officers Row houses stand vacant at Sandy Hook (NJ) National Park. Officers’ homes traditionally faced the parade ground, but here they faced the sea, letting officers and their families enjoy cool summer breezes and sunsets. Today, Fort Hancock & Sandy Hook National Historic Landmark is a hallowed ground where history and nature are preserved together • Photo and “Hallowed” tanka* poem by Mary O’Connor
© 2025
* Often described as a short song, a tanka is a form of classical Japanese poetry with just five descriptive and reflective 5-7-5-7-7-syllable lines
Life Is Full of Sweet Spots 