Monday, June 15, 2009

yesterday and today





 Yesterday

When it rains,
and you are floating on your back way way out to sea
it still smells like wet earth even though
you are so so far from land. 
Who knew?

Raindrops patter on my face
far away the sand deepens to orange
as the rain soaks it:
meanwhile out here
there is only that deep primal earthstone smell
out here in an immensity of salt.

No waves, just the shush of falling rain.
I float awhile out here,
 then I swim.

*

Today

it is dark.
The sea completely silent, only the lightest ruffle of lace skirts at the very edge.

My heart beats loudly at the thought of 
swimming before sunrise
but I do.
I slip in, and swim every note I can muster of 
Beethoven's's Moonlight Sonata. 
With each arpeggio
the rippled sands below
become lighter.
A bright half moon 
lights my way.


The sun rises: I watch it 
my head raised like a seal.

Not a single cloud,
just vast sea and sky
hard and clear as glass,
one Southern Right
spouts out near the horizon.
That is all.










13 comments:

Ulrike said...

Exquisite images: in poem and photos.

Can't think of anything more alive than seeing a whale at sunrise from in the sea itself.

molly said...

You are so brave and daring! Not to mention a magician with words and photos.....

KPB said...

OK, so you're officially freaking me out swimming at dawn and being way way out to sea.

Freaking.me.out.

Unapologetically Mara said...

Wooooooo

creature of the sea...thank you for sending this images and words and nearly smells and feelings back to earth.

Louise Dalton said...

Thankyou, that was lovely.

Leenie said...

Same moon, same ocean, different hemisphere. I don't know if you are brave or foolhardy to be swimming with whales in the moonlight, but I am a little jealous.

Jellyhead said...

oh intrepid fish, you write such swimmingly good tails .... I mean tales (he he)

meggie said...

Your words are magic. I loved to swim in the rain, when it was warm. I never noticed the earth smell though. Too young I suppose.

Mary said...

Now I know that the smell of rain out scents the sea..

Anonymous said...

I would love to do this, but I'm not brave enough. Too cold, too dark. Thank-you Fifi for letting me experience this through you and your poetic writing. x

Red Hen (dette) said...

The second photo is so beautiful. The colour of the waves are jewel like...such a stunning colour, and I love he way there is a pinkish gleam in the foam on the wave at the front, I could look at this for ages! I'll imagine I am as brave as you and am floating with you in the sea!

Anonymous said...

Gorgeous words and pictures, you took my breath away.

alice c said...

The best possible post to read on the morning of the solstice - summer for me, winter for you.