On The Beach
A strong, benign wind swept the vastness of the beach,
Our short, sharp shadows scoured by fleeing sand;
Three paces we would take, then stop to reach
Towards a shell, a feather or a small child’s contraband;
Gaudy plastic flanked by strident-coloured driftwood planks,
Contrasting against the subtle natural hues
Of pearlised, pastel debris lain on gritty banks,
Pinks, saffrons, ochres and a palette-ful of blues.
A half-hour’s walk stretches to several hours
Childlike memoirs merge with new delights,
Wild, flattened dune grass shows minute, cowering flowers:
Raise questions – how they thrive, those lives so slight.
The sand, the shore, the wealth of nature’s trove,
The loveliness of close and distant views,
A curdled sea, acres of blue above
Until the sun dissolves to yield night’s starry clues.
Glimpses of the univere beyond, where distance is of different scale,
Stars prolific as the grains of sand,
Planets with vistas far beyond our human optic veil
Strangest seas, curious spectra, unimaginable lands.
I rejoice to see and imagine all these as gifts of a generous God
Whose mighty hand has fashioned so much more
Than we can ever, ever conceive;
Whose love is entangled deep within nature’s core.
Also with Beach themes are Colossal, Capricious Ocean and Treasure Hunt
Also with Beach themes are Colossal, Capricious Ocean and Treasure Hunt
