There's silver and air beneath my feet

Seagulls cry out as sailfish swim

 

Coarse white hair covers the man’s jaw

He pulls bait from his hat’s rim

 

The small girl holds a smaller pole

Her voice as happy as a bird

 

Her fiery-orange hat

Shades her rainbow tie-dye shirt

 

Shells spread on white sand and twigs

Hungover from the night before 

 

The ugly ship dredges again 

Just offshore

 

Cigarette scent creeps in

A jolt of unwelcome reality 

 

The sun warms my back

But the wind pushes and speaks

 

A man with a cane 

Shuffles to get away

 

His chest now pink as a

Conch at the end of the day 

 

A woman on a crimson camp chair

Turns to shoot the smoker a glare

 

The utter audacity of

Lighting up in sanctified air!

 

The offender puts it out

And gathers his belongings 

 

He pulls his wagon away

Weighed down by unnecessary things 

 

We breathe deeply again

Waves crash on repeat 

 

The sky so blue again 

It melts into the sea

 

 

© Candice Reineke 2022