Saltwater Solace

This poem was inspired by an Instagram reel featuring the image above. Someone asked if I could write a poem based on it—and I said yes. I didn’t expect the feelings it would bring up: the ocean, loneliness, memory, and ultimately, a quiet sort of healing.

It reminded me of a night I once sat by the water with someone who didn’t really see me. And how, in that moment, the sea became more of a companion than they ever were. Writing this helped me process that memory from a different angle—one where I came out whole.

If this image speaks to you too, I encourage you to write your own piece. What does it make you feel?

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Saltwater Solace

I sat with the sea,
its voice louder than his,
a hymn of salt and silence
that knew me better
than anyone ever had.

Bones bare,
but never broken,
I became a ghost of who I was—
not haunted,
but free.

The waves didn't ask for my body,
only my breath.
They didn’t press, didn’t prod,
just listened
as I dissolved the night
into something sacred.

He stayed on shore,
hungry for skin.
I drifted further,
cradled by moonlight
and the aching calm
of choosing myself
in the dark.

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Author's Note

Thank you for reading Saltwater Solace. If this piece resonated with you, I’d love to hear your thoughts—feel free to leave a comment, like the post, or share it with someone who might need it.

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