My Anthem II - 1. The Cape Encounter

High on the bluff sits a soft blue beach house

Wooden stairs climb from the ocean beach below

A little girl descends to the sand

She spends the morning walking out a good half mile

Low tide reveals how shallow the ocean can be

Snails dig in puddled water; seaweed drapes the sand bars

Upon her return, she decides to visit the beach house

It is small; two rooms and a glassed in patio that faces the water

The kitchen, scarcely stocked,

Boasts a bent pan and coffee maker that sit on the counter

The living room, stuffed with two cotton covered sofas,

Is the focus of this beach front cabin

A huge picture of a precariously tacking sailboat hovers over sandy, wooden floors

The sailboat, a fire place, and blue and white striped fabric dominate the tiny room

She moves through the space, entertaining her sometimes friend

In her mind, she reaches over the sofa and kisses her pretend companion

She whispers “I like you” to blue and white stripes

By the time she walks back to her parents’ house, she forgets her embarrassment

And that her companion reached out, took her hands in hers and asked for a second kiss