Traversing the bridge
High above the yawning gulf
The palest, clear, teal-tinted water
Flashes below as if flung
Far and wide with glinting crystals
The sun’s mirrors refracted into a million prisms
It’s the color–that color–that transfixes my awe
Never have I seen water of such delicate hue
I can’t wait to dip my feet into–
And feel the temperate beauty of this basin
And to search its fine, powdery beach for treasures–
Lacy sea fans, starfish, sand dollars–mottle-patterned tritons
Thin, delicate augers of such diminutive size and frailty
Ear shells, naticas–like blank, staring eyes, turrets and spindles
Scallops of deep mauve and pale pink
Smooth, shiny olives and gnarled, rough lion’s paws
Perfectly formed and intact, I find them
How have they survived the passage
Through the massive, watery cosmos of the sea
To be laid gently ashore–whole and unbroken at my feet
Shells found in the gulf...
Inside the Mind of Isadora
/ July 7, 2011This makes me want to go out shell hunting. It is so summer-y.
Beautifully written,
Namaste,
Izzy
Bodhirose
/ July 7, 2011One of my favorite pastimes. I don’t think I could ever tire of it–thank you, Izzy.
Namaste…
trisha
/ July 7, 2011what a gorgeous description. just loved it. its so beautiful and vivid.
Bodhirose
/ July 7, 2011Thank you, Trisha. I love the gulf coast–it’s so pretty and there’s so many shells to discover. I enjoy it so much.
trisha
/ July 8, 2011i have seen ocean only twice in my entire life, how i long i could live near one :)
Bodhirose
/ July 9, 2011You would love it–I just know it. And you would find a lot of inspiration for writing too. :)
Lots of love…
jgavinallan
/ July 7, 2011Gayle:
This is so summer-y—good description, Izzy
I love the easy flow of the words…so talented…sooooo jealous
hugs
Jaye
Bodhirose
/ July 7, 2011It is a good description–very summer-y past time.
Thanks so much for your generous words–as always.
Gayle xoxo
Hema
/ July 11, 2011Wow…so well described. Feel like going to a beach right now!
Bodhirose
/ July 11, 2011Thank you, Hema–let’s go!
tigerbrite
/ July 11, 2011This is really lovely. So descriptive of beachcoming, reminded me of finding abalone shells on Melbourne beach some years ago. I was in the Gulf 35 years ago and remember that clear sparkling water so well.
Hope you don’t mind me saying but I think the 9th line would be better without the ‘it’.
Bodhirose
/ July 11, 2011Thanks so much, Tigerbrite–I appreciate that. I always prefer going to the gulf side beaches as opposed to the Atlantic side–big difference.
I didn’t mind at all and I think you’re right. I’m going to change it–thanks!
seabell
/ July 11, 2011How indeed? And your words are so perfect and intact as some of them…
Bodhirose
/ July 11, 2011It is astounding I think. Thank you very much–I appreciate your kind words, Seabell.
Jingle
/ July 11, 2011very detailed and well fine tuned words.
perfect imagery.
Bodhirose
/ July 11, 2011Thank you for your kind words, Jingle. xoxo
tenraikenshin
/ July 12, 2011Not only does it vividly illustrate, the sounds whistle as if the wind in the shells was responsible.
Bodhirose
/ July 13, 2011A very poetic response–thank you!
Leo
/ July 13, 2011A beautifully worded poem, and some wonderful shells too, Gayle :) quite the combination.
A Poetic World – My Potluck Post
Bodhirose
/ July 13, 2011Thanks so very much, Vinay–I do love looking for shells.
charlesmashburn
/ July 13, 2011A beautiful depiction of the seashore and its treasures. Nice write!
Bodhirose
/ July 13, 2011I so appreciate your visit and kind comment, Charles–thank you. :)
Shashi
/ July 14, 2011beautiful… I enjoyed the journey and specially liked your last lines…
‘Through the massive, watery cosmos of the sea
To be laid gently ashore–whole and unbroken at my fee’
Thanks for joining in Poetry potluck WK 43 that I have hosted this week for the first time… hope to see you again…
Shashi
ॐ नमः शिवाय
Om Namah Shivaya
http://shadowdancingwithmind.blogspot.com/2011/07/whispers-cuckoos-song-and-smell-of-love.html
At Twitter @VerseEveryDay
Bodhirose
/ July 14, 2011Hi Shashi, so nice to see you here and thanks for hosting our potluck this week.
I’m glad you liked my poem too–thank you.
Gayle
Heaven
/ July 30, 2011I love collecting these treasures…. lovely lines :
“The sun’s mirrors refracted into a million prisms
It’s the color–that color–that transfixes my awe
Never have I seen water of such delicate hue”
Bodhirose
/ July 30, 2011Thank you so much, Heaven. I appreciate your visit and kind comment.
brian
/ July 30, 2011wow this is beautiful…some fine touches the lace of the waves…the prism of the sun..oh you had me there and then a rather beautiful close as well…
Bodhirose
/ July 30, 2011Why thank you, Brian–that’s nice of you to share with me.
hedgewitch
/ July 30, 2011You took me back to some of my favorite summers, prowling North Padre Island, and the shell and souvenir shops, and the amazing long white beaches and blue water. I love your descriptions of the shells–you bring each into focus for the unique thing it is–relic of a life lived in the great ocean soup.
Bodhirose
/ July 30, 2011I’m glad I could bring some nice memories to mind for you Hedgewitch. Shelling is one of my favorite past times when I’m on the gulf.
wolfsrosebud
/ July 30, 2011I do believe I know why I like the beach now…
Bodhirose
/ July 30, 2011What a nice thing to say. Thank you very much, Wolfsrosebud.
Daydreamertoo
/ July 30, 2011This reminds me so much of our days spent every day at our favourite cove here. We would take our little dog Tim with us and the beach wakls became as much his, as ours. It was a wild beach, wasn’t looked after by anyone and so it was rough and rugged but, it always had beach glass, glittering and sparkling from still being wet. It was all colours but, finding blue was always the prize because blue beach glass was one of the rarest finds.
We’d look for stones that had a complete circle of another colour around them (legend says its lucky to find one) shells of course, and feathers.
Your lovely prose bought it all back so freshly in my mind.
Bodhirose
/ July 30, 2011I love finding beach glass too and interesting rocks, pieces of drift wood–and feathers–I love feathers. Pretty much, I’m looking down most of the time while walking on the beach. :)
I’m so glad I could bring back some nice memories for you.
Sheila Moore
/ July 30, 2011Oh, wow, how did they survive indeed? Enjoyed walking along the ocean’s shore with you on this one . Just lovely thank you.
Bodhirose
/ July 30, 2011It is amazing when you stop and think about it. I enjoyed having you–and thank you for your nice comment.
Anna Montgomery
/ July 30, 2011Thin, delicate augers of such diminutive size and frailty
Ear shells, naticas–like blank, staring eyes, turrets and spindles
Scallops of deep mauve and pale pink
I loved these lines in particular. Thank you for sharing your glittering poem and the lovely photo.
Bodhirose
/ July 30, 2011And thank you for coming by and leaving such a generous comment.
Brendan
/ July 31, 2011Gorgeous, sublime, serene, shelled: all of it I call home, too, though I live 50 miles inland in Florida. Yesterday I was near Cocoa Beach with my mother & her sister’s family to celebrate the birthday my mother and I share, separated by a week — something so natal and sweet about walking the hot shore with my 84 year old mother, a place of beginnings and transitions. Thanks for making those moments most presciently present again here. And glad to hear that the Gulf continues on, despite our human ravages.
Bodhirose
/ July 31, 2011Well I wonder if we’re next door neighbors–I live about 50 miles inland too. And my oldest daughter and I share a birthday, separated by a day.
Yes, it sounds very sweet to be able to walk with your mother on the beach–such a relaxing activity though the heat can be a bit much to bear these days.
The Gulf continues on–its capacity for life still very strong. I’m so grateful for that. Thanks for sharing with me, Brendan.
Aaron Smigielski
/ July 31, 2011Very nice. How do such gentle shells survive the sea? There is something magical in that.
Bodhirose
/ July 31, 2011Thank you, Aaron–I agree, something magical.
tashtoo
/ July 31, 2011Let’s just hope we can keep on enjoying these moments and memories…we have lost so much, my fear is that one day all that will remain will be pieces like this, to remind us of how dearly we treasure that which we also so often take for granted. Thought this a wonderful journey, thank you!
Bodhirose
/ July 31, 2011I agree with your comment here. We can’t continue on like we have with these natural treasures–and turn a blind eye.
Thanks for coming by and sharing your thoughts with me.