Dancing sunlit waves, gleeful children,
reddened cheeks, glowing with joy under
a layer of factor 50, to fight off the furious
sun searching out each little corner of skin
uncovered; and so they dress them now
with protecting suits or pop up tents that
shield, and enable freedom on the beach;
to dig and build, shape and fill buckets, to
make sandcastles that stretch across the
shore
thinking to stop the tide. and ride the ripples
in the welcoming ambling sea on its quiet,
soulful days. But, they love too the tossing
roaring waters that build and splash and
challenge, that thrill and lift and tumble,
and each one to be met by crazy courage,
over and over as they wait for the really big
one, that will toss them in the surging surf.
Hiccoughing and laughing, they face again
the cold waters and splash and scream ’til
the call comes to go back, and suddenly
they are cold and shivering and struggling
with wet clothes and sandy feet that scrape,
warm, dry clothes bringing cheer, and
tears are dried as they homeward trek to
hot drinks, restorative snacks and hot
showers leaving gritty sand as they go to
a place to sit, relax, read and slow down.
