At the End of a Brief St. Petersburg Trip

Poetry, James Croal Jackson

It is windy atop the restaurant 

bar overlooking the Atlantic.

A birthday party for Pittsburghers

simultaneously occurs,

unrelated. I fail in conversation,

but later lean against

the beige wall outside and watch

seagulls soar in their low navy

blues. I place myself

inside them. What a joy

to be free from responsibility.

What a gift the wind is

to lessen my burden

of flight.

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James Croal Jackson is a Filipino-American poet working in film production. His latest chapbook is A God You Believed In (Pinhole Poetry, 2023). Recent poems are in ITERANT, Stirring, and The Indianapolis Review. He edits The Mantle Poetry from Nashville, Tennessee. (jamescroaljackson.com)