Monday, February 26, 2024

It's Not Just a Walk on the Beach



It's not just a walk on the beach.
It's the beach I longed for
for half my life,
so now I walk it saying
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

It's not just an old growth forest.
It's the forest I stood on the road 
to save in 1993,
yet in 2023 the trees are
still coming down
and the climate crisis
is accelerating.

It's not just the harbour,
full of busy little boats.
My eyes caress the curves 
of Wah-nah-juss
every time I see them:
beloved guardians
of the village.

It's not just the village green.
It's where musicfest is held
every summer, everyone dancing
joyously, from white-haired crones 
to little girls twirling
ecstatically
in their pouffy dresses.

It's not just Tofino.
It is the living of my dream,
along the western sea,
waves and forests here
since the beginning of time,
where the wild ones live,
and my spirit is both
at home
and fully free.


For my prompt at What's Going On? : It's Not Just a Cup of Tea - which will be explained better on Wednesday. Smiles.





18 comments:

  1. This is such a beautiful poem. You finally got what you dreamed of and how often does that happen? And if anyone deserves it...it's you Sherry. If it can't be me....I'm glad it's you ! .....Rall

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  2. I like "It's not just..." what a place means to us, represents, and the memories invoked. You live in a beautiful area.

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  3. I love to read of the happiness you have found in your surroundings, Sherry. This is such a joyful poem(except for the second stanza) that it makes my heart sing.

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  4. This is not just a poem, it is a statement of a life well lived!!! Wonderful prompt, Sherry... will try and write something tomorrow!!

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  5. Blessed are those who have always known where we wanted to live, and are living there.

    PK

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  6. The contentment and the joy the poem offers simply uplifts our heart. Such a beauty, Sherry!

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  7. We both went for ‘It’s not just’ and I really love where the phrase took you, Sherry! I love the gratitude in the first stanza, the awareness of everything, and the love expressed for your home.

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  8. Your poem raised goosebumps for me!! Love it! annell

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  9. Yes, the contentment and joy, happiness and the shine of life just spills from the screen and falls all about me. A beautiful poem - the delight is palpable.

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  10. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
    Ah! Beautiful! The spirit of place accumulates over time. You've shown beautifully how the spirit becomes personal--person and place change each other!

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  11. This is a lovely poem, and it captures your heart, it is alive with you!

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  12. It's not just ~~~ it is simply a beautiful poem.

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  13. Your love of this place shines through. It's never 'just' anything, is it?

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  14. Above comment was me :)

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  15. Sherry,
    It's truly wonderful to know that you are living in the place of your spiritual dreams and contentment. Surrounded by nature's very best of ocean, trees and ambience....inspiration for your words and thoughts...

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  16. The 'not just' theme, as applied to your home town, is so inviting! I felt a bit of it just reading... Thanks for the prompt.

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  17. Such a beautiful revelry in the place of your dreams!

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  18. This is such a beautiful poem of spirit, wonder, and love for a piece of earth you longed to be and then were able to make it your home.

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