By Michael Cains.
Summer sun warming oily bronzed skins
gleefully splashed sprays of salt water
lazy waves tumbling onto yellow bright sand
Even non-swimmers enticed into the blue.
Tight and flabby bodies, all brightly garbed
bouncing with no cares and near-naked smiles
running laughing children in sunhats and zinc
with buckets for their castle masterpieces
Purposeful fathers armed with plastic shovels.
Laziness beguiles, energy stored for some other day
soaking sun on wet towels drying between swims
Contented pleasures of an Australian beach.
Unrelenting heat of a cruel cloudless sky
crowds everywhere, screaming water banshees
soggy sand sucking feet into sodden saltiness
Ruined castles and bawling sand-crusted children.
Sand permeating each crevice and crack
lotion rasping skin on reddened bodies
oozing new discomforts and fraying tempers
every metre of beach and water spoken for
Judgemental glances, checking out the neighbours.
Worshipped by many every damned summer
to others the beach holds no joy
Leaving quickly, but not quickly enough.
Evening slowly cools a vacated beach
a dog rescues a ball from a heaving gentle sea
loving the frolic of a frothy white surf
Slow strolling, toes wriggle into soft sand.
Waves roll away traces left by the crowds
quietly darkening sky, slowly savoured
wispy red clouds beckon a sinking sun
peaceful solitude soaks into the pores
Recharged by each salt laden breath.
Blurring horizon sucked into sky
caressing breezes drowning all cares
How a summer might be….
… could be …
… should be.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Michael escaped regular employment two years ago, and when not renovating or travelling anywhere with his wife in their Avan campervan, he writes. He never really stopped this since school, receiving frowns for his creative responses to staid organisational communication before finding a niche as a part-time motorsport journalist for fifteen years. He leans towards Speculative Fiction, but will try anything, rediscovering a latent love of poetry and short stories. A novel or three are in progress.
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