Where I’m From

I’m from big hats under rainbow umbrellas

Buckets of wet sand and unstable castles

I’m from orange and vanilla custard

With a pizza slice the size of your chest

I’m from sea salt air and coconut lotion

Rough hair tangled into waves

I’m from hours in the water - spending hours spent catching

Colorful drenched footballs that went “splat” when you caught them

I’m from the sweet relief of hot skin on cool, packed sand

And the wonder of looking out onto the ocean

It was grand and open and wide

I miss it

The breeze and the sand and the waves

That crawled up to meet my toes

And hugged my ankles into a cool embrace.

But the waves retreat

Like we all must do

And they slowly return

Like I must do

Back ------------ and forth

Back --------------------- and forth

I am a beach kid, landlocked,

Dreaming of seagulls’ conversations,

Missing the freedom and innocence

Of summers I once lived