As Children

Beaches

Rugged and rocky,
Surf spray misting,
Ghosting
Along the mountain cliff.

We trotted,
Goats,
Sure of our footing,
Never doubting the placement of our steps,
Laughing, chasing the sunlight
Across the sky.

We sang the birdsong as
Cool water embraced us.

We became ocean creatures then,
Languid and graceful.

Sunlight and salt-smell,
The wet sand soaped us,
Scraped us raw and dirty.
But we emerged

Refreshed,
Scattering among the tide pools,
Climbing water logged,
Petrified,
Trunks

Of what once were trees,
Now rock worn smooth,
Preserved by one hundred years of
Changing waters.

Sometimes we found shards
Of china,

Edges softly rounded,
Milky exterior cleverly revealing
The fine lines of kiln fire,
Dainty spiderwebs.

There on that shore
We transformed,
Became Kings and Queen,

Built our lands, drawing
Lines into the sand, negotiating
Peace treaties that ended when
My mother called us for lunch.