Sea And Sand

Sea and Sand

Huddled behind wind-breaks

On candy-stripe deck-chairs
Naked toes wriggling in the cold sand

Watching children play among their castles

The long, chilly day stretches ahead

From the sea-wall to a distant horizon                                                                            

Optimistic sun-hats and lotions

Jostling with novels and newspapers
In the beach-bags of bosomy matrons

While damp, gritty bath-towels

Shield the modesty of wary teen-agers

Changing out of cold wet swim-suits

 

Seagulls scream in the slate-grey sky

Perhaps portending later rain

Before the distant tide comes back in again

The waves sliding up the chilly beach

Erasing empires built along the shore

And enforcing the general retreat

 

Flags and windmills rescued from the water

The last desultory donkey-rides taken

Before heading to the esplanade

And a long promenade along the windy pier

To reach the lonely telescope

Which points towards a blackened sea

 

Then fish and chips in warm, greasy paper

Or cockles and mussels in plastic cups

The waft of vinegar sharp and pungent

Competing with the fresh seaside air

Seeking shelter against the elements

On the seats behind the life-boat station

 

Later licking ice-cream and candy-floss

While steadily feeding slot machines

In glittering amusement arcades

Where one-armed bandits eat piles of tanners

Before being driven back along the Front

To buy rock and Kiss-Me-Slowly hats

 

Reading every comic card on the twirling stands

A quick game of football in the park

Krazy Golf, then Pitch and Putt

Sauntering back slowly

To kill more time before facing high tea

And the tyranny of the guest-house landlady


Copyright Andy Fawthrop 2012