Down To the Beach

I found a round stone or two and plenty of shells, though not the kind that sing. I saw no starfish or horrible thing on the beach, unless the dozens and dozens of crabs or the piles of seaweed count.

But we played and lounged. We laughed and rested.

Now we go back to our routines and our work, the laundry and pulling weeds and the other chores….thankful for the fun we had at the sea.

maggie and milly and molly and may

maggie and milly and molly and may
went down to the beach(to play one day)

and maggie discovered a shell that sang
so sweetly she couldn’t remember her troubles, and

milly befriended a stranded star
whose rays five languid fingers were;

and molly was chased by a horrible thing
which raced sideways while blowing bubbles:and

may came home with a smooth round stone
as small as a world and as large as alone.

For whatever we lose(like a you or a me)
it’s always ourselves we find at the sea

e. e. cummings