Life's a Beach

I seek a dip in the ocean Its cold, aggressive waters are therapy It seems all of my troubles can slip away With the rift of the turbulent sea Walking across the warm sand Its texture both heals and wounds Reshaping and softening the skin Working its way into every groove That initial lick of ocean froth As innocent as a salty kiss Betrays the nature of its icy embrace And the magnitude of the abyss The current is stronger than I am I am tossed and thrown about At times I am not sure I will wind up At the surface or be pulled down! But once beyond the sluicing waves I am in a paradise of tranquility Alone, awakened and restored I swim until the shore can barely be seen Once home, the ocean scent lingers Perfuming my hair and dreams And as I nap, I am carried back To the lullabye of the sea