I Left You Behind On the Beach
I left you behind on the beach, staring at the silver, moonlit waves.
You’d spoken of sunken treasures beneath the waves in forgotten, rotted hulls and the wild, white horses prancing to shore atop the waves. The beach was empty now, the waters pushed up far along the sand to wipe away the memories of the day.
I choked on the salt that burned my eyes and the back of my throat as I climbed over the dark dunes. I’d always preferred climbing among the dunes to using the wooden steps that led down to the beach. The fine, white sand that I clutched at as I climbed and that slipped into my shoes was a welcome reminder of the beauty and life of the earth that kept me from venturing too far into the water’s embrace.
The night wind flung fine sand against my legs, arms, and wet cheeks, rustling the grass atop the dunes until they formed their own waves that mimicked that of the ocean. Yet it was the waves of the sea, with it’s blue whispers of forgotten deeps, and not the moonlit, grey grass that called me back.
Reaching the top of the dunes, I took a deep breath and caught the scents of the promenade with its stalls and food and people who didn’t realise that I stood here fighting against the urge to go back to the waves and follow you.
It wasn’t fair, I told the moon, keeping us apart like this; him of the water and me of the earth - unfair that we could only meet on nights like this when the moon pulled the waters far up the beach to where our domains met.
I turned away from the lights of the promenade that dimmed the moon and stars to stare back at the ocean.
You were gone.
I took the starlight-coloured shell from my pocket and held it to my ear to hear your faint voice among the waves saying that you’ll return to me.
I gazed eastwards, waiting for the sun to rise.
Only a few weeks to go before the release of Where the Stars Used to Sing - I can’t wait to share it with you!
Until next time, stay safe!
Love
Carin