THE SHELL

by Roisin Moriarty

They walk along the beach

Hand in hand

He wears a soldier’s uniform

Her glossy hair catches the ocean’s light 

The sky arcs over them

A blue bowl

From which the sun strikes down

On the rolling sea

Firing splinters of brilliant light into eyes

Already blinded by love 

He searches the pale sand exhaling beneath their feet

A gift for her who leans into him

And gives him the comfort

Of her warm, round body 

Something the sea has given up

Tucked by a finger of ocean

Under a sentinel of rock 

A whorled shell

Twined around peach colored pearl

Like an innocent dawn

A hungry ear listening for the pulse of life 

He draws it out

Hands it to her

Watches her face break open in a smile

So sweet and warm and full of expectation 

It stops his breath 

She presses the shell to her ear

Where his fingers have recently brushed

But instead of the hushing sea

She hears an echo of distant voices

Remember me.   

They walk on down the beach

Hand in hand

She carries the shell

Innocent as the dawn, hungry for the pulse of life

And the sea murmurs around them

Remember me.   

Copyright 2007 Roisin Moriarty All rights reserved.