My
little sister and I were in the ocean, playing
it was high tide
it was hurricane season
the waves were pounding so hard
new waves ricocheted off the holding wall
like a water-boomerang,
crashing into the next oncoming wave.
We
made a game
to tread water where the two waves met...
when they crashed together
they would hurl us up like 2 rag-dolls.
We were ecstatic!
choking on salt water, screaming and laughing.
Grandma
ran out in a slip
and plastic see-through raincoat
she was screaming too,
"Come in or you'll kill yourselves!"
her fear cut through the thunderous waves.
As
I waited for my sister to ascend the ladder
the undertoe grabbed me
I was pushed against the turbulent sands
held down by churning water hands
I managed to raise myself against the crushing wave
only to be turned around and pinned down again
now I was facing the sky, so close, inches away
the ocean was playing a game with me
I was paralyzed by the undertoe
amazed to be trapped in these shallow waters,
I never knew such terror.
The
boa constrictor named Atlantic
pounded me against the cement wall
things started to go grey and midnight blue
little clouds of broken seashells
like a thousand red ants
biting me everywhere
then the waves seemed to pull apart,
just for a second
I escaped.
Heading
for the house
I looked back at the crazy sea
and my wet footprints
leaving their elusive mortal trace.
© 2005, Merrill Aldighieri
