52 Weeks ~ I left my heart in… (5/52)

LeCount Hollow Beach, Wellfleet, MA

the pewter sky is darkening
in the undefined time
between the endless afternoon
of buckets and spades,
striped umbrellas,
sandy potato chips

and the offered evening,
when we, freshly showered,
will drive the well-worn route into town,
step into our favorite restaurant
order drinks, and review our options.

in this time between then and next
we sit on the slope of the dune
and watch the smudged line
between strand and sea
as it shuffles toward us
then hisses away

the man’s arms are around the woman
the woman’s arms are around the child

the dog is running on the packed sand
like a seal with legs

nothing will ever be better than this
moment

a three-masted schooner, sails puffed
like marshmallow balloons
could sail right along the shore,
the captain waving to us,
the brass buttons on his coat
sparkling in the last
sideways slant sunlight

and the moment could not be more perfect
than now
with the blurry line between sea and strand
with the girl and her sea-salted hair
with the pup racing the waves
with the man and woman
who have been through the worst
who know there is worse to come.

in a few minutes,
they’ll reluctantly rise,
gather up the beach toys and blankets
and walk the sandy trail to the cottage

home away from home

the evening beckons

the woman’s heart beats
the useless refrain:
stop time
stop time
stop time