Springtime afternoon
In the shade of the upper porch,
Blue sky blends with
Water in the near-distant view.
Seagulls glide above,
Scanning for scraps from beach-goers.
White fences gleam
Voices break through the quiet eve.
A black dog trots past,
Led by a man with leash in hand,
Children in tow.
They stroll along with heads bowed low.
Now and again, one
Pauses, bending to sift the sand
Heads pop back up
With treasure in hand—shouts of glee!
“A beautiful shell!”
Others are tossed back to the shore.
They both inspect,
Pockets now brimming with their finds.
The young girl lingers,
Falls behind, then sprints to catch up.
The sun dips low,
Spilling pink and orange across.