Ankle Deep


I took off my shoes 
and stood ankle deep
in the shallow reach and run
of the waves. I felt a sudden
cold, the slow sink of my feet
into wet sand, the gentle pull
of the outgoing tide,
then a tickle of seaweed 
as it tangled around my shin.

There are moments like this
when you become the sum
of your own sensations. 
The world was being taken in
through my feet, sipped joyously
as if each nerve was savoring 
whatever came in contact
with my skin. It was electric.

I was motion, the deep throb
of breaking waves finding 
a resonance, a seashell
imprinting an image of itself
through my heel, the freedom
of wiggling toes. I felt as if
I was being lifted
by a strange buoyancy until
the cold spread its numbing chill 
and I stepped out of the water
back into my shoes,
into my own small footprint.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2024

Poem

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Lane Avatar
April 2, 2024 at 8:22 AM
Paul, you always bring mundane things alive in your lines. Most people would just smile at their toes sinking in the sand with each wave, but you enlighten the moments with your skillful way of delving into thoughts much deeper.
Willason Avatar
April 3, 2024 at 2:29 AM
Thankyou my dear Lin....to receive such comment from a fellow practitioner is an honor. I often question my focus on the ordinary somewhat critically so therefore your kind words are gleefully reassuring. Thankyou my friend.
Rodgers Avatar
April 1, 2024 at 6:43 AM
Dear Paul, You beautifully capture the essence of being fully present in a moment of sensory immersion. I loved how your imagery is evocative, drawing me into the sensation of sand between my toes, the embrace of the ocean's chill. Through your words, I felt the exhilarating pulse of life coursing through each nerve ending. It truly is the simple yet profound joy of connecting with nature's embrace. - Blessings, Daniel
Willason Avatar
April 3, 2024 at 2:15 AM
Feel honored that you have entered so deeply and mindfully into the poem...I am very grateful to receive such informed comment. Valued, my friend.
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