The waves crest and fall upon the

shore, their roar diminished to a

slight howl. Cool June wind whisks

sand, pelting umbrellas, kites

sunbathers like a farmer shooting

buckshot at intruders, and when

there is a lull the sun bakes the naked

skin of the worshippers splayed out

upon blankets and chairs.

Your eyes tranquil, as you read aloud

from a book, words soften sounds of

ocean, as unseen grains of sand blend

with pulp of page. A young boy digs a

hole in the sand, sits in it, his brother

pushes the sand around him. He listens

until you finish, climbs out.

Kite rises a few feet, descends into theJune 7, 2023