there is a path from the city to the shore:
over dunes swept with red cedar
winds in angled segments a woodplank path
along the edge of which, on every other board or so
like the roots of a polynomial in sixty dimensions
sit singular small pretty and purposeless things
ordinary objects taken for their aesthetic properties:
a rusted bolt, found on the side of the road
a small plastic sword, the shiny plating worn off in spots
a small clump of amethyst
a bunch of beads: brown (12), tan (36), and gold (12)
a tiny human figure, of wrapped colored string and bits of cloth
a small buddha statue
a paper crane
a silver pocket watch
some woven bracelets in red, green, and blue, darkened from wear
a small glass cube, with rounded edges
a bottlecap, the brand graphics barely showing through the rust
a pair of red translucent dice
a mug depicting a rabbit escaping with a carrot from a farm, toward a lake where ducks swim
a puzzle of interlocking mirrored prisms
a deck of cards
a soda can tab
a small representation of a Mayan sacrificial altar
a military star pin
a small box with the relief of a key on it
a short length of rainbow ribbon
a brown button
a flat metal heart, enameled red
a pair of paper cranes, different sizes
a pungent box of incense labelled in Chinese characters and Arabic numerals
a length of bark from an oak tree
a small colorful box of matches
a group of paper cranes, folded from origami instruction sheets
a ball flask decorated with tightly wound cord
a handful of shiny glass stones
half of a plastic egg carton, which was used as a palette: red, gray, browns, pink, and white
a statue of a young bird seller, with cages on his back and a bird on his finger
a tiny delicate replica of a box kite, paper and toothpicks
a small square of wood with a painting of a bluejay
a long string of paper cranes, their wings folded up
a length of red string, on which is affixed a ring
a piece of gum
a coin
sand
sand
sand
the sea
Shuffle, replace, or draw a card.