Trump on the Ocean
“Like a gift from God”
Bernadette Castro
Commissioner
New York State Offiice
of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
What Robert Moses, political and parks titan,
could have claimed in 1929
opening Jones Beach State Park
for millions of mothers, fathers, children,
grandmothers, granddads, cousins, aunts, uncles
coming from Freeport, from Farmingdale, from Oyster Bay,
coming from Queens, Manhattan, the Bronx
Art-Deco style cast stone planters and garbage can covers,
raised seam copper roof of Pitch-Putt booth,
ship’s capstan fountain, slate mosaics,
curved steps to beach.
“Today, Jones Beach State Park remains one of the greatest achievements
in twentieth century public works construction.”
What would have been Robert Moses’ expletives gazing upward?
Trump on the Ocean
Tots—brothers, sisters, playmates--
little laborers on their knees,
scoop sand with yellow toy shovels,
canals for surf waters to surge into,
filling big holes with tiny lakes
Sanitation workers, truck drivers,
cops, teachers, doctors,
soldiers on leave with their lovers,
arms around each other on seashell-patterned beach blankets.
Treks over sand to boardwalk concessions,
mustard-decorated hotdogs enmeshed in sauerkraut
75,000 square-foot, basemented, two-story, 28-foot high ornateness—
Trump on the Ocean
Fishermen and women
wade surf in high slickers,
cast long lines
for strikes by fierce fighting “blues”
Bird watchers focus binoculars on terns,
origami birds, cut-out sleek wings’, forked tails,
hovering over breakers.
Focus on gannets migrating half-mile out,
enamel plumaged,
long wings ebony tipped,
plunging
Wedding receptions
$500 per plate,
valet parking .
Trump on the Ocean
Summer Triangle--
Vega, Altair, Deneb
first magnitude stars.
Winter sky:
Canis Major, his dog’s eye first magnitude.
Orion, the vast-sized hunter,
stars Rigel and Betelgeuse first magnitude.-
All diminished in one man’s electrical blazing—
Trump on the Ocean
Maxwell C. Wheat, Jr.
First Poet Laureate
Nassau County, New York
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