A Toast To The Coast

The ocean butts up on the shore
Three hundred sixty miles or more
And though the waves are often poor
For bodysurfing, and the breeze
Makes supplicants of blufftop trees
While flinging sand like buckshot bees,
The kites above the whitecaps lend
A sunshine vibe, so we pretend
We’re wary of UV, not wind,
And that’s what those thick coats are for.
Since no developers can seize
A single foot from end-to-end
To privatize the ocean’s roar
Or burden visitors with fees
‘Cause we’ve a Beach Bill to defend
This precious coastline we adore,
Its golden anniversary’s
A chance for Oregon to send
A thank-you for the kites that soar,
The waves that crash, the clouds that tease,
To our sand-blasted, fractious friend.