Beach Boy

South Shields afforded me no defence,
I was open as a Santa Monica sunrise.
The sand, sunshine on the waves
just a bus ride away,
we went week after week
after Endless Summer day.

In the 1960s
the West Coast had the sunshine,
but the dream, surfing
across the ocean,
came all the way East
and remains in my heart today,
music a constant, driving feast
with big blue skies and rhythm and beat,
This boy was hip to hit the shore
and shun the street,
Needed hot sand beneath my sandshoe feet.

In '66 I got my kicks
with a new Pet Sound
full of California tricks.
I wandered Solway sand flat and wet,
the sun burning gold as it set,
I galloped the Galloway shore
and sang along,
"I may not always love you..." 
but knew for certain I always would,
and would come back for always
and evermore.

Two days ago I saw Beach Boys
for the first and maybe only time,
heard for perhaps the thousandth time
the sweetly soaring, yearning lines
that always bring you to my mind,
bring you 
"Somehow closer now...
Softly smile,
I know she must be kind.
when I look in her eyes
she comes with me to a blossom world".

The universe and I pulsed with timeless
Good Vibrations,
Like the starstruck infant,
still galloping ever since the start...
I shed tears of sheer joy 
and sent you my 
Beach Boy
Smiley Smile.