Ashore

margins stimulate and juxtapose
  edges greet with troubled, disturbing friction
  faraway forces exert influence and combine relentlessly
  how the Sun and Moon dance together about the planet Earth
  their grasping hands pull the tidal movement around the ocean
  caressing the shore beside the sea

  near the coast expectation rises
  enter first a magic land of machair and marram grass
  where improbable miracles bloom with bright desert flowers
  noise muffled in a quiet oasis clearing between tall tufted clumps
  tucked below the dunes, cut with crumbling suggested sandy ways
  hear a distant rhythmic w-a-s-h of sound

  mating dragonflies pause and dart
  ladybirds unfold their wings and count their spots
  caterpillars crawl to their next destination, while skylarks swoop
  excitement follows the wild sky, strange light reflecting
  scramble on all-fours, hands and feet anticipate, something in the air
  almost there, ... one final muscle burn!

  stumbling up and over, breathe in
  smell the shore, seaweed, salt spray, dimethyl-sulphide
  chest and head positively bouncing, zest of negative hydrogen ions
  senses merge sound and vision with slowly shifting interaction
  eyes drawn over blowing sand and shallow sloping flotsam zones
  carry on down to the edge of the world

  flecks of vegetation catch the cheek
  minute mineral grains sting, whip the pain of pleasure
  playing out snaking shapes, moving as one across the beach
  scurry before the wind, piling curvy shapes on half-hidden debris
  kick off shoes, scrunch the toes, stretching over damper sand
  walk in elation along the shoreline

  rapid air snatches at the ocean
  surface waves congregate and cumulate
  frequency sequenced, forming, gathering, advancing
  some monsters arise with their innards backlit, rolling, tumbling
  collapsing, cascading, pounding, splurging, foaming, tossing, spraying
  watch for hours, mesmerized

  waves retreat along the shoreline
  overwhelmed by the next inward rush
  overlapping runs, ridges raised with eddies pooling
  never exactly repeating the reach of the last pounce of the sea
  gentle thump crashing, slap of a dying wave, sibilance splashing
  feel alive, feet tingling wet

  the constant tide moves in and out
  gyrating current arriving from the dark cold depths
  where sea birds dive and gannets plunge fast disappearing
  feathered eyes observe, awaiting signs of flashing life and prey
  perched on irregular craggy rocks below the jutting cliff defence
  know that this is a dangerous place

  once a refuge for hominid species
  they were quartered in now-uplifted coastal caves
  bones scattered across the floor, etchings on the wall
  seaward bounty in times of climate change, encroaching drought
  profound maritime influence resonating throughout prehistory
  hear that eerie seashell sound

  go further back in deep, deep-time
  when cells were formed, enclosing and sealing fluid
  when copying the chemistry of ancient seas into our salty blood
  life evolving from smoking fumaroles, eventually flopping onto the land
  gaze longingly at expansive water covering most of our oceanic world
  learn to swim with the tides of our past

  leap forward now to modern times
  when armies escaped or invaded the beach-head
  bombardment, landing craft, machine guns, tanks and men
  floating bodies, barbed-wire entanglement and exploding mines
  where shadows of valour and fear still roam between old fortifications
  honour the dead and learn to avoid

  for those countries on the margin
  ripped apart by imperial and national ambition
  people flounder on sinking boats, incredulous voices implore
  acknowledge 'our' lives for 'your' future is caught up in 'our' existence,
  in 'our' survival, 'our' acceptance, 'our' thriving, 'our' contribution
  prevent 'our' children being washed ashore!

beachenvironmenthumanityoceanverse

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