The Rescue

Children toil with their buckets and spades sculpt castles into the sand In joy and in innocence they build towers gates draw bridges and moats Know deep in their hearts that the tides are stronger than fortifications Nothing is for keep nor for keeps and yet they construct impermanence Close to the dunes the Germans are at it again adults or so it would seem Had their towels on the beach first thing in the morning and they dig deep A pit just large enough to shelter their families from wind and voyeurs They raise a flag and post a significant sign ‘This belongs to our tribe’ Draft shields go up with pegs and strong rope anchored in the belief That possessions will last and conquest yields benefits and acclaim They might not be falsifiers of history rather people hurt deeply inside As they raise walls and gates confident that they are stronger than time And then there is my flower girl in her forties but teenage in wild soul A woman childish and playfully grown up and thus wiser than most She fashions a display of roses thistles lotus flowers and aspirations Not for a coat of arms but faithful that petals and leaves outlast surrender Aware that her foundations might be feeble or volatile she scans the shore Finds a wooden board to support her cast and lays the basis for freedom When night settles she carries her float to the edge at the turn of the moon Right where the river feeds a lagoon as ripples of foam start a new journey Maybe tomorrow the buoyancy of hope will bring back the arrangement Or not and why would it matter because sand is abundant and so is faith A dolphin might jump over or a flock of seagulls take rest from their flight Seashells could take hold of infinite beauty in one thousand trickles of peace Moments matter most that uncertain future and the breeze will sustain While mere humans mermaids and purveyors of lasting memories and fun Supersede hanging on to false prophets and let go what cannot be held The young woman will still be in her prime for young at heart never fails The small Me used to be that German unable to let go of material matters She told me so much on my attempts for kindness humility and compassion Taught me to throw caution to the wind to sail closer to the eye of my storms I am her apprentice and make love to the jewels bestowed from her fortune 25th June 2019