Aren't You Glad

Aren’t you glad? Now we’ve down the shore Shell blue sky — Cares nevermore Yachts in marinas Parties ‘til dawn Floodlights on water — Ripples so calm Aren’t you glad (now)? Aren’t you glad? Snacks on the blanket Seized by hijacking gulls The pleasure-seekers Congregate on the hull Foreigners’ ideas Of seaside mansions Embankments awaiting The next hurricane Wealthy estates Lined along the inlet Dark curving roads Last night of August A black and white Sunday A cherry-picked memory Parlor nostalgia — The dream of the model railroad train Time left forgotten A lawn made of stone Flagpoles and bungalows No sidewalks at all Aren’t you glad We made it down the shore? We leave tomorrow For the palace of the poor (Lavallette / Mantoloking)