excuse me

I go down to the shore in the morning

and depending on the hour the waves

are rolling in or moving out,

and I say, oh, I am miserable,

what shall—

what should I do? And the sea says

in its lovely voice:

Excuse me, I have work to do. 

 

[Mary Oliver {1935-2019}, 'I Go Down to the Shore', from A Thousand Mornings]