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.

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