Fugue II

The boats are in and
out today, busy, their
tossing prows
biting at the water as it
pushes them back -
little engines shoving
against this powerful stuff,
flags flying, they congregate
out in the bay pointed
this way and that:
busy boats are out today

and on the beach the children play,
the seagulls swoop and dive
and turn and float away
and little kids run up and down
sand in buckets
sand in toes
while mums watch paddling in the shallows

how much we like the sun when it comes
step out of our homes
onto the wide bay of sand
the flat golden arc
to put your feet upon and walk
the sun above making you screw your eyes

and your flat steps you leave behind
and then double-back and retrace
and you watch the movement,
ceaseless, coming towards you
and you retreat
from it - how we love the sun
we don't see enough
but when it comes
we love it more

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