Standing alone on this beach

Standing alone on this beach

remembering the sun greeting the horizon,

draping an aquamarine skyline

in swirling watercolor ribbons

enticing twilight to make an appearance

 

and the seashells we collected

while leaving our footprints

beneath a cheerful summer moon

sharing warm kisses as

cool water caressed our toes

 

where you drew a heart in the sand,

and we stood inside promising

to love each other forever,

then counted every star in the heavens

until the dawn returned

 

Now a desolate shore scattered with

mother of pearl shards

weeps beneath cold clouded skies,

saturated by a sorrowed surf of

wistful waves retreating from

 

the broken heart I’ve drawn in the sand,

one set of footprints within,

no longer counting stars,

not caring if dawn ever returns,

standing alone on this beach . . .

 

without you

Reviews

[AYVID N]

What happens always, between the drawing of that heart in sand and its breaking? To those promises made till dawn? I always wonder about that. Reading this poignant tale convinces me that relationships are a flash in the pan and loneliness is just inevitable. You have written and expressed this truth beautifully., my friend.

[willweb]

Yep, seems to always happen sometime but when you do find that special someone and the love is true...these sad moments don't last very long at all.

[AYVID N]

If you say so Willweb. And yes, all is passing.
You're right.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

so romantic and then so sad....loss is devastating...
whether by choice or a passing...either way, devastating...and this poem has a haunting quality

about it...you are so good at this type of poem.

[willweb]

Thanks Jacob. It means a lot coming from you

[John the Baptist]

The same scene can appear radically different according to circumstances. The beach in this offering was once the setting for a loving relationship and was populated by beauty. Now that relationship is history and the beach has lost its charm. What we see is often determined by what we are.

[willweb]

Yep, what was once an oasis is now a desert. It happens. Thanks so much John

[Lorry]

I bet it doesn't look the same without two sets of footprints leading away from it, as the owners of those footprints turn and pause for one last look, only to see a lone person standing within it and wondering where it all went wrong.
Who ever would have thought the heart drawn in the sand would become a cage for the prisoner your thoughts have now become?
The setting may be different, but I really relate to the cage we now find ourselves in, where once it was a sign of youthful optimism.
Does it make it much better that yours is on a beach with stunning settings, as opposed to my tree with a heart carved into that read Lorry 💕?????
Ps.... The row of question marks are really remainders of a chiselled out name, but that didn't have such a poetic ring to it!

[willweb]

My friend, your story is a sad one indeed and it tugged at my feelings because, though there was no tree involved to speak of, I know the feeling and if only I could bring myself to chisel out a name, I might be better for it but...not today.

Thanks for reading and commenting.
P.S. I wrote a carved tree piece a few years ago with a happy ending if you'd ever care to read it.

[Lorry]

I shall. Please pass on name or link very much, thank you etc etc. 😊

[Julie McCarthy (juliesp..]

This is a soul stirring poem
Memories of the place you loved someone at
Each rock wave shell breaker seagull cry reminds you of that person
You can’t escape the memory
Great write !

[willweb]

Thanks so very much Julie. Sometimes memories aren't all they should be