LatinosUSA

Tides

The moon does not cause tides

to rise and fall. The water is still.

The earth turns inside the bulging sea.

We move but confuse our place as stable.

But what do I know of tides, born here,

a thousand river miles from the mouth?

Our waters rise and fall with seasons,

not hours. We measure days with the sun.

We were once the solid, unchanging ones,

in the heart of the country. Our rivers,

its arteries. To know the soul of the country

was to go west, but only so far. We were the end.

Now the coasts control the nation

with people who see themselves

as the measure of tides, unaware

they are as unstable as we of the plains.

It is said the coasts will fall into the sea,

go deep into the water, until they disappear.

What then of us, rent in two, like the sail

of a floundering ship caught in a tempest?

Like the arms of a mother, the mountains

will keep the tide at bay, until the shallows

of the Gulf rise, as they did once before,

and we, too, find ourselves drowned.

Featured poet, Sept. 16, 2025, Poetry at the Pub, Rolla, Missouri, USA

Richard Stimac LatinosUSA questions

*Do you think poetry is back in fashion?

Richard Stimac: In the USA, no. Other countries, a poet can start a revolution.

*Is your poetry created daily, or do you wait to be inspired to write it?

Richard Stimac: I write daily.

*What is your next publishing project? Could you tell us how it came about?

Richard Stimac: I am finishing up my second collection of poems. In theme, this second collection is continuation of my first book.

*What city do you live in, and can you describe your favorite bar or café?

Richard Stimac: Maplewood, Missouri, USA. I like Maplewood Deli. I often order espresso, goo-ball, and peanut-butter blondie. They make homemade biscuits and gravy on the weekend.

Bio:

Richard Stimac has published a poetry book Bricolage (Spartan Press), two poetry chapbooks, and one flash fiction chapbook. In his work, Richard explores time and memory through the landscape and humanscape of the St. Louis region.

Amazon Link