Evening by the Sea

Recalling an evening by the sea

The evening sun’s warm sting  

conspired with the baking breeze 

to make my tryst with the sea s

squirmy. I scurried below a feeble shade 

on the seaside lawn to sojourn.   

Two tiny sparrows like tiny kangaroos, 

never learning to walk, hopped on both legs 

looking for crumbs or miniature prey. 

Two mynas walked upright, heads raised 

seeking out fodder from a height 

snatching innumerable invisible game 

from the grass, as though mad from the heat. 

A crow swooped in looking for prey 

probing with a quizzical slanting head 

harassed by the mynas in vain.   

Below me and the green, 

the whitish brown grainy beach 

blazed, trod on by young and old 

in pairs or alone. Families frolicked 

where the shy waves broke softly, 

running up the shore in glee. 

Further away, heads bobbed 

in the dense wave-studded sea - 

a grey blue static expanse melting 

again and again at the shore 

merging with the blue further away. 

The sun denied a glorious descent 

 blurred into the orange white haze.   

The sea breathed a meditative stillness 

concealing an enigmatic deceptive calm.