I've been at the ocean's edge for nearly two weeks now. The last part of my family has left to go home, and I have one more day to savor. Today I've walked it, driven past it, watched others dive in, and swum myself, looking for signs of the dolphins, manatees and manta rays that we've seen before. I did see the wonderfully different bunnies again, and crabs were out in the evening.
I've watched my grandchildren and children play and laugh and be, here in the magic of nothing-to-do but follow John Masefield's Sea Fever: "I must down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky."
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| The grandchildren say goodbye to their own final sunsets.
Nothing To Do
My dreams tangle
with the reality.
The ocean flashes, splashes,
dashes in to smooth the sand,
backing out to allow a shell shock
of quick gathering.
The body arrives,
knots untied
from the joy of immersion.
Linda Baie ©All Rights Reserved
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23 comments:
Oh, those sunsets. Those memories. You lucky poet, you.
Oh, how wonderful! I can just feel my knots untying. There's something magical about a trip to the seaside.
Thank you for sharing your time in Florida with us, Linda. It looks and sounds heavenly. That flashing, splashing ocean does untie those knots! Glad you all had such a wonderful time.
So sorry your beach time has come to an end, Linda. But I bet your writer's notebook is overflowing with treasures to be revisited until next time. -- Christie @ https://wonderingandwondering.wordpress.com/
Gorgeous photos, Linda, and I love how your poem puts the reader right there! Thanks for sharing with Poetry Friday.
There's a near rhyme in "The body arrives/ knots untied" that feels so soothing. It sounds like you had a wonderful family getaway, Linda.
While I like everything about your image poem, I especially like the way you described the ocean moving: The ocean flashes, splashes,
dashes in to smooth the sand,
backing out to allow a shell shock
of quick gathering.
I missed your postings, Linda, while you were on vacation but knew that you were fully immersed in the joy reuniting of the sea with family. I would love to place this offering in my Sunkissed Summer Gallery. My invitation is at my blog today.
"The joy of immersion" - speaks to the sea and your family time Linda. Glorious!
What delight....time to just enjoy....to let the rhythm of the sea be yours for a time. I love that the body arrives....like a wave does. Beautiful.
You always find the Florida coast of casual days & nights, Linda, when the mind can wander with the bare feet through your flashes & splashes. (Perhaps bioluminescence winked at the Family & You?) Already miss the fact that the shoreline (were you on the west side again?) connected us... Glad you will return.
"knots untied from the joy of immersion." I love this little poem that captures the freedom, the freshness of a beach.
What a lovely poem, Linda! I love your description of the waves, especially these lines:
" backing out to allow a shell shock
of quick gathering."
Hope you arrive home fully rejuvenated.
Gorgeous photos of the beach and lovely poem that oozes relaxation. I find something hypnotic and soothing about any body of water--beach, river, lake. I hope the end of your vacation is lovely in your solitude.
Ah, yes! Such a nice capture of the way it is at the sea. So happy for you all to have been able to spend this immersion time!
Ooh, Linda, you surprised me good there! At first I thought "Oh, an ocean poem, flash splash dash" but then you complicated matters with "a shell shock/of quick gathering" ( I thought of your family tiding in and out of your weeks) and then your last three lines turned thoroughly and fascinatingly inward "the body arrives/knots untied". Wow.
"Nothing to Do"-- what a clever title, Linda! Obviously, there is so much to do, since there are knots to untie and joy to feel, wonder to savor. Happy to hear about your trip, as always :-)
You've taken some truly gorgeous photos this year, Linda! I've enjoyed seeing them and now reading your poem.
Simply beautiful, Linda! You pull me in immediately. Thank you for sharing this lovely beach poem and for dropping by the ridge this week with kind words.
I would keep the dreams and let go of reality for a little longer. Lovely poem Linda, especially the splashing of the sea, which is soothing even writing about it. I look forward to a spot like this sometime, thanks for transporting me there!
This is an energetic poem, awash with memories. I too love your oceans arrival - and the knots untied. Your photos are gorgeous!
I didn't have an ocean experience, but the waves on the shore of Lake Michigan at Indian Dunes State Park sounded just like this:
"The ocean flashes, splashes,
dashes in to smooth the sand..."
I know that beach experience all too well...which is why we try to spend as much time there as possible. Glad you enjoyed your time!
Oh, Linda this is lovely. So much to love from the flashes, splashes, dashes to the knots untied. So glad you had this immersive time with family and then the day at the end just to savor some time alone.
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