Kid Summer
Lost in days
strewn in sand
feet twitch
caressed by water
flooding in
the in between
lost on a horizon
pinkly lit
seagulls swirl
a dance in time
with the tide
beating a rhythm
playing to none
streaks of white
lost in the rays of
an egg-yolk yellow
summer - we played
a yodel in glee
skipping puddles
grey crab wakes
shakes a claw
laughter cracks
a dizzying spray
salty to taste
lips cracking
in the heat
scrubbed by sand
like lobsters
so red we are
smelling of the sea
and salted earth
trying to fly
this blood-red kite
it swoops and churns
scaring the gulls
squawking dismay
the wind carries
us forwards
jumping, leaping
before diving
into the blue
lost and found
as we emerge
currents drift
ebb and flow
a courtesy call
this fish swimming
an orangey speck
wiggling our feet
swooping our legs
circling our arms
we float
in the place
we cannot live
like flying almost
where the gulls dare
losing us
to the here below
earth bound
sea legged
spitting salt water
only to gulp again
the same
laughter spreads
driftwood catches
giving a rest
to weary limbs
it carries us in
back to the voices
of the sunned shore
a line of colourful
stripey towels
blowing windcheaters
our mothers wave
licking ice creams
the chocolate gone
as the first delight
waving and swimming
we laugh and play
the day fading out
in the summer’s way
an echo of pink
on the horizon’s back
towards the end
of the earth
flows the sea
til it fades to black.
copyright Vickie Johnstone
