At the Un-national Monument along the Oregon Coast
Betsy Fogelman Tighe
In chorus with William Stafford’s “At the Un-national Monument along the Canadian Border”
This is the beach where
no slaves were unboarded
nor loaded, along with rum and sugar,
cinnamon and pepper, dazed by the unfamiliar firs
and pines, the foggy cover.
This is the cul-de-sac of clams, cove of mussel
and anemone, and their eight-legged brother.
This is the playground of first graders and Great Danes,
a sparkling Sunday palace for each sovereign citizen,
engaged to the sand and the waves.
About the Author
Betsy Fogelman Tighe has published widely in literary magazines, including Rattle, The Georgia Review, and TriQuarterly. She won a Pushcart prize in 2025 as well as a third place and a first place prize from the Oregon Poetry Association in previous years. Her full-length manuscript has received an Honorable Mention, been semi-finalist for two prizes, and a finalist for another. Tighe retired in 2022 from her good work as a teacher-librarian in Portland, OR and now is free to spend much of her time in the company of poetry.