She did not seem
focused
on any one thing.
She swam
the river
dark mottled face
above the surface
her nose
pointed up stream.
But then she turned
her face neck fair
bare belly
to the sky
and closed her eyes—
as if to listen
or remember
or memorize.
Copyright © 2015 by Amanda Hawkins. “Harbor Seal” originally appeared in Watershed Review. Reprinted with permission of the author.