The Farthest Wave
Conceived in late 2002
Begun on March 16, 2003
She threw back her long, dark hair
And laughed and danced in the sand,
Playing a game of tag
With bubbles and waves and ocean spray
While the sun strove in vain
To penetrate her deep, dark eyes.
She came often to this ocean,
Smiling a carefree smile
As she walked beneath the coconut trees
And breathed the briny breeze.
She looked east, to the ocean
Watching wave after endless wave crash on white sand.
Sometimes she wondered what might be
Beyond the farthest wave, where the sky
Bent down to touch the sea.
He leapt from the top of a high sand dune
And ran and ran as his long legs tried valiantly to keep up
With his rapid descent.
Well before he reached the bottom of the dune
There was a sudden hail and spray of sand.
Then a moan and a groan as he picked
Himself up out of a tangled heap,
And slowly trudged back up the dune for another wild run.
He came rarely to this ocean
Because the water was cold.
Except for the single mountainous sand dune
The beach was very rocky.
The wind was often harsh and biting.
Sometimes he swam in the rough surf,
And then ran back to stare at the endless waves.
Shivering, he gazed at the ocean to the west,
His skin nearly white as the fog,
His lips nearly blue as his eyes.
He looked west, to the ocean
Watching a seagull flying far from the shore.
As the gull skimmed the waves, and disappeared
In the trough between one wave and the next
He wondered what might be
Beyond the farthest wave, where the sky
Bent down to touch the sea.
