I look through the window at the downpour.
As I finger the edges of my notebook,
A dry seaweed drops from the pages of my tome,
Fluttering like the wings of a butterfly
And gently resting on my toe, jogging my memory.
I run along the wavering threshold of the sea;
Eyes closed, I sprint in the bright darkness,
Taking in the smells, the sounds and the briny air,
Senses heightened in bliss – almost surreal.
Reflected sunrays from the waves soon bid my eyes open.
The sea stretches before my innocent eyes,
Unfettered in all its glory, and ferociously beautiful.
She challenges me, with a toss of her head,
as her earnest wave children beckon me in;
In sheer enthusiasm, my feet rush into the waters.
With the Sea Spray, I dance and I prance,
In blissful ignorance — blithely bold;
As the waves coax me into their fold,
I leap and jetê into the immaculate azure,
Perilously unaware of the current drawing me in.
The once weightless waters suddenly seem leaden,
Realization dawns — I’ve drifted far from the land.
As I trudge through the blue liquid, with no direction,
Trying to stay afloat, the happy waves chuckle;
They fill my mouth, jubilant over their next victim.
The sea suddenly pulls me under —
And I cannot see; I cannot breathe.
In sheer desperation, I cry out;
My precious breath bubbles upward —
Final air, one final flare.
It is calm; The sea has had her fill;
Suddenly, a Mighty Hand appears; It wraps Itself around me
And draws me from the depths —
I cough, sputter and wheeze as life fills my lungs;
I breathe in the fresh air, whispering incoherent gratitude to my Saviour.
I wake up on the rocks by the beach —
Far from the clutches of the vile sea.
The sea is irate; the waves whip the shore;
But, I stand on solid ground, unharmed and unafraid.
I look at my feet, where a piece of fresh seaweed rests.
Still looking at the downpour, I pick up the dry seaweed;
Its fronds are reminiscent of the fingers of the sea,
That once had their hold on me.
Now, all that’s left of that miracle moment,
Is an indelible memory, a thankful soul and a sole, dry seaweed.
2 Samuel 22:17 KJV, The Bible
He sent from above, he took me; he drew me out of many waters;
This piece was originally published in Calla Press — Spring 2022 Print Journal.
My Musings and I 