Tides and Home Movies....

It's Open Link Night over at dversepoets.com  Take a peak at what others have to offer in the way of poetry...

Black and white flickers on walls, images
of we kids way back when in summers hot;
spliced film footage of us then, at waves' edge,
running on hard wet sand, white hot sand not 

Low tide found us exploring ocean rocks 
with pails, shovels, eyes sought unbroken shells;
seaweed trained ankles, agates filled pockets
Moats filled with foam as our sand castles fell

The present passed quickly by, just from our
jumping up and down; grandma waved and smiled
we poked anemones  assumed flowers

mollusks squirted up at us, crabs ran wild 

Sun tan oil, first aid, and steaming cocoa;

We ate charred hot dogs, blackened marshmallows
Starfish stared back at us; jellyfish foul
memories in a groove of time, kept safe somehow 

Somewhere, a lifetime ago, the laughter 
we saw on the screen abruptly ended 
The silent opera was over faster
than any of us ever intended

Reels spun out of control, film's tail flapped about 
Now do you hear the ocean far away?
Hold the shells to your ear if any doubt -
.. it's funny how fast we moved on that day?

The more who walk....

The more who walk, the more who will survive

motto of October's fervent fund drive

Poems written by countless ladies touched

by mortality's fateful cancerous

disease based on birthing humanity

women's war with her own anatomy

So personal and private....yes, saintly

First heard of in groups murmuring faintly

Pause given to those who did not survive

How many of them could still be alive?

I met her Monday in the library

struck me with her witty commentary

Books on learning French she had just returned 
"Not me... I'd rather walk the plank!!" she said

"Bah, here's a good mystery to read instead!"

I asked her, "..so what would you recommend?"

"Walking the beach each day -" she replied, 
"it's how I've survived, what keeps me alive....

was diagnosed with breast cancer stage four;

it's been eleven years now and more."

                she continued,

"You must download the tide tables online-

you want to be sure it's there when you arrive!!

It was low at noon today...I go every day!"

Attractive with peppered salt hair, I'm sure

she had the best perspective to endure.

Whatever malady I can stave off, I'd know one thing

life is a miracle worth extending

Today the cure is still unknown for some,

but for many it has already come.

I will join her book club and follow suit

using laughter...and beach combing to boot!!

dversepoets.com  Joe Hesch hosts Open Link Night..write about anything..I have only a couple of friends who have had this type of cancer and I cannot even begin to imagine what it must be like.