I Remember Sand Castles . . .

running up to where the waves greeted the sand
and us dashing back so the water couldn't grab us
i remember digging for seashells, sand dollars
us as children laughing like we were living only for today
sand castles being built too close to the water
and the waves sneaking up and surprising the fort
and we all fall down
little pools of ocean trapped by armies of sand
we clustered around searching for treasures captured
by those armies . . .
sometimes finding a shell, a sand dollar, a starfish,
a crab, . . . sometimes finding
a reflection of my childhood. . .

1997