Glimmering, glittering, the Pacific shimmered –
Frothing and foaming, the surging waves reached
Between the toes and sandy curves-
Leaving marine debris-
To hiss out in spent energy
To return to the vast deep,
To rev up for another onslaught.
The walker squished her toes into briny sand,
Drawing nonsensical squiggles and whorls.
Her thoughts wandering into yester years,
She wondered at fate’s thoughtless deeds
That left her bereft and alone,
Without a pair and with no companion.
In solitude, she pondered life’s vagaries;
But, in loneliness, she found the unwelcome guest.
To the untutored, the walker seemed content,
But her roiled thoughts churned unseen
And uncontrolled in vain attempts to rein in,
The miasma of loneliness leaving her in fugue state.
The waves pelted at the grainy shore and fizzled.
The walker’s mind rambled into consequential
And inconsequential meanders that led nowhere.
The naked footprints led away into places
Of no dreams and no destinations!
Reminds me of silent walks on the beaches on the Cape in fall, lost in thought, hardly noticing what is around. You have captured it all and the loneliness of walking in the sand alone. Have you been to CA to visit the boys and walk those Pacific beaches in recent days? LIz
Not recently. But, I could imagine that.
You have done a beautiful job capturing the scene. This reminds me of long walks, very early in the mornings in Virginia Beach during our 2 day vacation with 3 small sons. I used to get up early, while they all slept soundly walk down to the water from the hotel and go for long, peaceful walks. Of course my sleepy husband would tag along half-heartedly and silently (for my safety!!!).
I like the poem very much. The word “miasma” captured my attention. Keep on writing……