The Shining

Something glitters in the sand
tiny mirrors, grains of glass, dust of
stars or the sun-
light all broken up on the rippling
ocean out there
next to I don’t know diamonds
chrome
capsules of mercury
el coronado
(sparkle, like the story my brother
tells about being jumped by a gang one night
outside the Venice High gym they wanted money but
he didn’t have any money so one of them
yanked off the St. Christopher medal he wore around
his neck— Why do you think they did that?
I asked him & he said, Because it was
shiny