Cheerwine, beach time.
The shouts of small children reach out to me.
Their words, urgent, drift up from the sea.
Waves crash, harder, burning into me.
I can close my eyes and see the beauty.
I’m not so far away.
The sand, fiendish in its increased efforts to get everywhere, completes the picture of bliss.
The shouts of children, joyfully playing, running—they’re loud, and indistinctive.
I couldn’t tell you what they say.
I picture them working diligently on their sandcastle of Dreams.
The wind joins in a display of spring.
Here, it’s endless spring, verging on summer.
Heat from the sun’s rays mixes artfully with the cool feel of breeze.
Here, it’s eternal innocence. Childhood’s essence a fingertip length away.
Sea gulls, puppies and adults in their wake.
Obviously they know something more they can take.
I wish, from this distance, that I could learn what they’ve learned, too.
How to keep that peace, and go on as they do.
My peace isn’t nearly as stable, or firm.
It crawls underground like a spineless earth worm.
Come back here, you worthless, unreliable thing!
The image in my head of that breath taking scene—
It dissolves as my focus changes.
The children and sandcastles, puppies and waves, they’re still there, but distant.
Not much to my taste.
My mind becomes entranced by the wonders below.
Water and wonder, living fish, and tides that come and go.
Dolphins and such, go about on their merry little way.
Go deeper, deeper.
Towards the darkness.
It’s still beautiful, but by no means should you get close.
Sharks swim, watchful and majestic.
Just look at them, there, do you see them now?
Your heartbeat becomes erratic.
Adrenaline rush, thoughts all awhirl.
Danger is near, and gut reaction is to hurl.
Don’t do that, it’s in your best interest if you wait.
Those pretty sharkies probably won’t hesitate.
I hear they’re more aggressive while swimming at night.
Especially when you’re in the company of a big old flashlight.
The contrast is delightful, taken in hindsight.
The darkness of the ocean, innocence of the beach.
I’m not sure where I fit in, in either picture.
Earlier journeys lead me to float near the calmest of waves.
The sleeping grace still miles away.
I stay up here, in this restrictive room.
I could break free, but really, with whom?
My eyes take in the green and the blue.
Coral is somewhere, but I can’t see it too.
I have a new image now set in my head.
Ew, there’s sand on my bed.
Shells, their smooth sides half buried, waiting to be found.
Hidden treasure, of course, quite within my reach.
And with this image of joy, adventure and fun,
I find no line to be crossed, no barrier to be broken.
Content fills my thoughts as I get ready.
Treasure and innocence, dark with delay,
Everything here seems so perfect, as if on display.
I’ll let nature teach me right now, in this moment.
The sounds of waves, and children calling out,
They still reach my ears and I don’t block them out.
Images in my mind don’t seem very different, but there’s been change.
And I welcome it.
Their words, urgent, drift up from the sea.
Waves crash, harder, burning into me.
I can close my eyes and see the beauty.
I’m not so far away.
The sand, fiendish in its increased efforts to get everywhere, completes the picture of bliss.
The shouts of children, joyfully playing, running—they’re loud, and indistinctive.
I couldn’t tell you what they say.
I picture them working diligently on their sandcastle of Dreams.
The wind joins in a display of spring.
Here, it’s endless spring, verging on summer.
Heat from the sun’s rays mixes artfully with the cool feel of breeze.
Here, it’s eternal innocence. Childhood’s essence a fingertip length away.
Sea gulls, puppies and adults in their wake.
Obviously they know something more they can take.
I wish, from this distance, that I could learn what they’ve learned, too.
How to keep that peace, and go on as they do.
My peace isn’t nearly as stable, or firm.
It crawls underground like a spineless earth worm.
Come back here, you worthless, unreliable thing!
The image in my head of that breath taking scene—
It dissolves as my focus changes.
The children and sandcastles, puppies and waves, they’re still there, but distant.
Not much to my taste.
My mind becomes entranced by the wonders below.
Water and wonder, living fish, and tides that come and go.
Dolphins and such, go about on their merry little way.
Go deeper, deeper.
Towards the darkness.
It’s still beautiful, but by no means should you get close.
Sharks swim, watchful and majestic.
Just look at them, there, do you see them now?
Your heartbeat becomes erratic.
Adrenaline rush, thoughts all awhirl.
Danger is near, and gut reaction is to hurl.
Don’t do that, it’s in your best interest if you wait.
Those pretty sharkies probably won’t hesitate.
I hear they’re more aggressive while swimming at night.
Especially when you’re in the company of a big old flashlight.
The contrast is delightful, taken in hindsight.
The darkness of the ocean, innocence of the beach.
I’m not sure where I fit in, in either picture.
Earlier journeys lead me to float near the calmest of waves.
The sleeping grace still miles away.
I stay up here, in this restrictive room.
I could break free, but really, with whom?
My eyes take in the green and the blue.
Coral is somewhere, but I can’t see it too.
I have a new image now set in my head.
Ew, there’s sand on my bed.
Shells, their smooth sides half buried, waiting to be found.
Hidden treasure, of course, quite within my reach.
And with this image of joy, adventure and fun,
I find no line to be crossed, no barrier to be broken.
Content fills my thoughts as I get ready.
Treasure and innocence, dark with delay,
Everything here seems so perfect, as if on display.
I’ll let nature teach me right now, in this moment.
The sounds of waves, and children calling out,
They still reach my ears and I don’t block them out.
Images in my mind don’t seem very different, but there’s been change.
And I welcome it.