Be Delighted

"Oh my my my my, what an eager little mind!"

Auntie Mame

Sunday, January 12, 2014

The Winter Beach

On The Winter Beach

I walk on the winter beach
from here to there
and beyond where the beach ends
past indifferent sea gulls
over beached kelps
over bleached sea shells
to the sound of crushing waves
to the call of ebbing memories
I walk on the winter beach
I shall go
I must go
alone
beyond where the beach ends

Suchoon Mo

Glenn and I recently returned from visiting his sisters, cousin, and niece, at a seaside house on Crystal Beach, east of Galveston. I love the beach in winter, the sand clean and bare, the air cool and bracing, and the sun casting diamonds on the pewter ocean.
 Carol brought their new dog, Wiley, along, a frisky adolescent standard poodle, who could chase a ball forever.

 There were even cows in the field next door.

We took the ferry to Galveston and back one afternoon, and I loved standing on the bow of the boat, rather than sitting in the rows of cars on the deck. It recalled my childhood travels on ocean liners, even if only for a 20 minute hop across the bay surrounded by departing cruise ships and hard working tugboats pushing barges as long as a football field.


Meanwhile there was fresh red snapper to be grilled:
And many rounds of Skip Bo to be played:
And selfies to be taken:

And thanks to Becky Cooper-Rezek for reminding me of this poem.
As if the Sea should part by Emily Dickinson
As if the Sea should part
And show a further Sea --
And that -- a further -- and the Three
But a presumption be --

Of Periods of Seas --
Unvisited of Shores --
Themselves the Verge of Seas to be --
Eternity -- is Those --