photo of sunrise at South Chestermans by Stephanie
At Poetry Jam, the prompt this week is: Water. Always this one body of water calls to me, since those glorious years when I walked the beach daily, in joy and gratitude.
At the base of the rocks
on Frank's Island,
the waves meet in a
swirling whirling gyre
called The Cauldron,
making a sound
as powerful
as fire
and it spins,
as if it is being
stirred to a chanting croon
by a black robed figure
with a long-handled
wooden spoon,
as, wave after wave,
the sea
comes crashing in.
Look down.
See the roiling circle made?
How waves break
against the rocks,
and shatter,
tide pools laid bare
full of small life
that matters,
witches' brew,
frothing,
bubbling,
mesmerizing you,
till one could almost
topple into
its eternal stew.
One early morning
we gathered there
at dawn.
Between island and shore,
a labyrinth was drawn,
that we walked,
me behind,you before,
waiting for sunrise,
when winter would be
no more.
Gail and Clay,
in cloaks,
walked across
the strip of land,
Clay carrying a lighted torch
within his proud
eight year old hand,
rolled tube of paper
lit and smoking,
as in days of olde,
sparks flying fast,
smell of scorched cloth,
as we stood smiling
in the windy morning
cold.
As we completed
the circular path,
fine-drawn,
the water was
covering our feet,
and the path we
walked upon.
We had to dash
before the waves
rolled in, head-on,
both sides of the tide
in the middle met;
in only moments,
the labyrinth
was gone.
It was Spring Equinox,
the coming of the light,
after winter's storm
dispelling dark of night.
Surrounding us
was nature's
wild array:
glorious sea,
rolling hills,
long sandy beach,
the place I thought
I would forever stay,
each day the world
all painted
pink and new,
spread there
like a banquet
just for me
and you.
The song of the sea
eternally
sings to me,
cry of a gull,
scent of salt
and seaweed
on the air,
white-maned
wild-horse waves
galloping in
with mighty roar.
I'll remember,
I'll remember,
in my heart
forevermore,
the joy of living
by water
on that
wild and
western shore.
