Tuktoyaktuk

Tuktoyaktuk

Restless, a hushed sea stirs and prowls,
pressing against earth's ragged edges.
A red boat blazes against somber shores,
paint flaking, yearning for one more wave.

Graveyard crosses lean with the tide,
names worn smooth by salt and time.
Wind threads through wooden markers,
perched ravens summon spirits home.

Beyond the houses, pingos rise,
Swollen earth pregnant with frozen memories.
The tundra dreams of stone-deep sleep,
while cloudberries burn in amber song.

A gray brume grazes over the land,
growing in shadow and beckoning mood.
A singular church burns blue and white,
defiant prayers painted with arctic light.

Here, where the road dissolves to sea.
Here, where the frozen world breathes on.

-nl
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