Beach

curling ocean waves-
the blackbird’s white feathered wings
touch an azure sky
–
glass dipped in frost-
a magpie taps
at my window

sepia photos
memories of summerfields
slowly turn to dust
–
summer sky-
carousel music
on the pier

waves crawl up the beach-
long acres of dune grasses
ripple in the breeze
–
prints in wet sand-
nesting plovers disturbed
by barking dogs

clouds in the water
far on the opposite shore
the blue pump house roof
–
changing leaves
painted at the
waterline

peeling back the dark
exposing the ugly truth
to the light of day
–
low tide-
broken shells
on the sand

a rotting boardwalk
crosses an estuary
flowing to the sea
–
low tide-
razor clams
burrow in the mud

moonlight in her hair-
she walks along the shoreline
and into the night
–
a turtle’s splash –
the moon wavers
on the water

living in this house-
a shrine to your past regrets
and those yet to come
–
low tide-
finding sea glass
and jellyfish

barely keeping still-
my fingers brushing across
your wet ruby lips
–
waves lap the shore-
your hair drying in
the tropical sun

among the rushes
herons stand in the salt marsh
waiting for the tide
–
auburn sunrise-
dawn breezes stir
fields of cattails