I remember one November
(I was in my early twenties, and
My father was still alive)
I met my parents out on the beach
At a Holiday Inn
For Thanksgiving Dinner
It was very cold:
Twelve degrees Fahrenheit
In Florida, standing next to
The Gulf of Mexico
12 degrees, sans “windchill”, mind you
Although the wind was blowing occasionally
I arrived about an hour early;
Enjoying having miles of coastline
Completely to myself,
As no one in their right mind
Would be out on the beach on
A day that cold
I had left my “right mind” at home
And I remember
Looking out at the shoals,
Or “The Sandbar” as we called it
Wondering how, on a day so freezing,
Anything could look so tropical
But also struggling to understand
Why I had no girlfriend
Why “everyone” seemed to be spending
Thanksgiving Day with families they had forged
As well as ones they had been born into –
Except me
But I loved that day
I loved how cold I felt
(It was painfully cold)
And I guess we begin
To truly understand
What it is to be thankful
When we’re even grateful
For the pain
how can you not be entranced by the beauty of the sea?
I certainly agree.
Beautifully expressed
Thank you, Holly.
What are you working on these days?
Thank you Owen, Your work means a lot to me, your inquiry even more.
I am trying to put pain behind me and to really get back to happy painting. For the moment I’m leaving waves and the ocean behind although the pieces I painted. all of which were ocean scenes, to your poems were well received as was your poetry at the reading. Hopefully at some time i’ll go back and rework “Equilibrium” (image of a person standing on a sand bar in the ocean) which i painted to your poem “Integrity” and then be willing to post them together.But, for Just now i’m choosing less emotionally charged subjects and trying to paint and sketch without any expectation.
thanks for asking,
Holly
Lovely sea, and lovely memory.