​Bay Area Stew​
Poetry

The Ocean Beach Sentry
​by Mary Heldman
Picture
Photo by Mike Lambert
 
The seagull.
Alert,
sleek,
sturdy, composed,
standing guard
atop the light pole.
The Ocean Beach sentinel,
unsuspecting, unconcerned
looking, plotting, planning its next flight
—or dive
 
12 o’clock, noon.
The blast of the
outdoor warning system.
Words shriek like thunder
at the continent’s edge.
 
Whom do they startle,
these sound waves piercing the air?
Me, for one.
 
But the Seagull,
does it flinch?
Does it stiffen?
Not at all.
Stays unflappable, unimpressed.
Squawks not at the squalls of the tsunami,
sits steady to defend the beachhead.
 
Its gull brain
must know it’s only a test.
About Mary Heldman
click to read BIO
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​Mary Heldman is retired from a career in medical school administration, computer programming, and business systems analysis. She grew up in Los Angeles, but lived in Palo Alto, Washington D.C., Cambridge, and Stony Brook, New York before settling in San Francisco in 1974. She tutors at a local high school, studies piano, and designs costume jewelry. From time to time she writes sardonic prose for her friends. Mary wishes she lived with a chocolate lab or a golden retriever, but she doesn’t.
Other works by Mary in this issue:
​ Spring Beckons (Poetry)
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​The Vistas & Byways Review is the semiannual journal of fiction, nonfiction, poetry and visual arts by members of OLLI at SF State.
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​The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at San Francisco State University​ provides material support to the Vistas & Byways volunteer staff.