Wild Pear Beach

That day on Wild Pear Beach,
My mind and heart opened
Their windows to the sun and wind.
The keyboard of my soul’s art
Was unlocked to be played by each
Moment of my depths and heights.
And on the splendour of that lonely strand,
While hours passed, alone, and with my woman,
In me rose and fell
Creative play of mental flight,
Soaring and leaping through
Perceptions, vistas, hills and valleys
Of my inner life,
With strange wonder at that ancient shore.

Then down that rocky cliff path
Came my son and friend,
Not yet teens.
Still full of curiosity and labour free.
Straight to the sea they went,
Not seeing me along the beach
Among grand rocks.
Into the water’s edge,
Clambering, laughing and
Delving into pools and moving tide.
Finding what I could not see,
And putting into an old ice cream tub.

And lost timeless in that world
Of moving sea, of tidal pools,
Of wind and sun,
They dwelt the afternoon,
Until, seeing me my son came,
Battered tub in hands,
And stood before me, with open face.
And the keyboard of my mind
And heart played music
As I looked on the
Forming manhood of my boy,
Still with undimmed sparkling
Eyes of childhood.
Bright, shining with intelligence
And eager searching mind,
With big fingers full with strength,
Coloured by the sun and sea,
Holding that large tub
Into which his beautiful hand,
Swelling my heart,
Dived and moved
Amongst all manner
Of creatures from the ocean.
Moved as one of them
As they writhed and undulated,
Darted and swam.
Life amongst life.
Pinnacle of mind amongst
The foundations of existence.

And my son smiled at me without words,
And I understood in the life of me
What he was showing me
As a smile spread through me too.

Copyright ©2001 Tony Crisp