coast

there's something about it
that those sandy resort shores cannot claim
with their gentle slopes of fine-grained beige
pink scallops like in picture books
and water warm enough to swim in

the beach here is different.

the beach here is varied
streaks of sand and brown seaweed
intruding on a crust of grey pebbles.

an ugly-looking thing full of stones and grit.

but it is beautiful
when you know it.

this shore's beauty lies in
bits of cloudy agate and beach taffy among plain rocks
well-worn glass frosted by the abrasive ocean
tiny snail shells, softly iridescent
driftwood, pale and bleak
and tidepools leading out to a cave past it all
with a tree so old it's just stone now
and water running trickling down the wall

i don't think i will ever truly leave.