Us on the beach

The afternoon sand touches your feet
Giving way under the heel and toes till
Gently the high arch comes down upon it.
It stays firm then embraces the foot
As if this intimacy is its sole purpose.

It rubs your heels and papers away
The limpets of time and tiredness.
Gently upbraiding them
Till they are gone

These uncountable skeletons of tiny beings,
That once were the life of the seas.
Were brought to rest by the tide
And pounded by the waves
Until this coarse powder was all thats left.
Now its at your feet.

My gaze shines on your feet, ankles and shin.
Luxuriating, living in the moment,
We are here together
Sharing a small little forever

Now you sit in the sand
And fill your hands with it
Look at me and say
Take a photo
And start building a castle
With the beige, brown sand

I look for the right angle and moment
when there is no one else in the frame
To capture just you
You, My truth in this frame of lies
designed by my blind mind
To add to the deprivation of those who see it.

And I take another picture
Of your hands, just your hands
That ended in the slender fingers,
Cased with the rings I'd bought
For each time I was away
Somewhere else,
Gazing at a beautiful vista
Alone,
These lovely fingers
with these rings of guilt, of loneliness

I sit with the Sun behind me
So that i can catch the light on your face
But you are looking around
For more sand
without cigarette butts, straws and bottle caps,
And then you look up and smile,
Just a bit to show me
That you know what I'm thinking,

Your castle is all done
A sand castle
That's how it is
dreams built
With what others leave behind
Of their impermanent existences

And at night the sea will come
To remind these patted and shaped remainders
Of how things are.
Lest they forget the lesson of millenia.