Virginia Breeze

And there is a lot of sunshine this morning pouring through our living room window as I sit here and try to figure out what needs to go in this post. One of my dearest blogging pals is having trouble leaving comments here. WP Spamfree is leaving her messages that don’t make any sense. If anybody else has had a problem with that please let me know! Use the contact page under the header near the right edge.

I forgot the cord that connects the camera to the computer so I will have to wait until I get back to Richmond to share some photos of the beach. It has been an interesting weekend. Apparently there is a fire burning out of control in the Dismal Swamp down near or below the North Carolina border. If the wind shifts just right you can look out over the water and see. . . practically nothing.

But thankfully a front recently came in and blew all the smoke away so this morning the sun IS shining brightly. The sound of the waves crashing on the beach is very relaxing. And the temperature is very comfortable. Not too hot and not to cold as Goldilocks used to say before she ran away with the bear.

That’s what happened right? Or was that Little Red Riding Hood? What a name for a girl! Gad. No wonder she ran away.

The weekend entertainment theme down here is Elvis. So there are many Elvi running around. None of them are particularly talented from what we can see. Well, maybe the ones that jumped out of the airplane and floated down to the shore line were talented.

But the ones that tried to sing were dismal sounding and blowing smoke when it came to carrying a tune. Most did not even try to sing. They just flipped a switch and lip synched.

There is really so much pretending that goes on at a beach town like this one. Pretend entertainment. Pretend construction. People who are pretending to be one thing or another.

The only thing that is real is the ocean and nature. The birds that skim the water and the fish that nibble at your toes when you venture out there. And the weather of course can be overwhelmingly real when it wants to be.

But the beach is mostly sand that has been sucked through a tube from the bottom of Rudee’s Inlet and then spread around by a bulldozer. I was out there about six this morning taking photos. And every time I do this a strange guy comes up to me and starts asking me if I know this person or that person. I am supposed to know apparently because I’m taking photos. This morning he asked me if you are allowed to walk out on the rocks. He knows perfectly well that you are not supposed to do it. There’s a sign ten feet away that makes the point. So I told him “No you are not supposed to walk out there” and he walked out there anyway with his bag of goodies.

I worked with people like this guy for many years so it’s not big deal playing games with him. But I mention it just because it illustrates what I am trying to suggest about this place. And when we got here yesterday and it was filled up with smoke it just seemed so appropriate.

Smoke and a very large mirror are all around us. The only safe place to be is in the water. Plunge into the surf and suddenly feel like you have merged with nature. Dive deep and stay down as long as you dare.

Late last night I told Beth I wanted to go swimming. And she was not happy about it but she stood on the edge of the water while I waded out into the darkness. The water was warm and mysterious. The waves were fairly large and I was totally unprepared for them when they hit. Still it was a joy to be out there in the darkness feeling the embrace of the ocean. I imagined for a moment being one of those unfortunate souls who are shipwrecked for one reason or another and float away into an endless darkness.

As I looked down the beach at the towering buildings and lights I felt comforted. I would not want to be out in the middle of the ocean with little hope of survival. I want reality but not too much of it. So I swam back to the beach and kissed my wife. I thanked her for putting up with me once again and we went upstairs to sit on the balcony and watch fireworks.

Photos at ten.

For all the different loves there are
I find this one to be by far
The one that keeps me up at night
The one that brings us most delight.

It calls to me each time to climb
The tree of passion fruit divine.
Although I sometimes fail to see
The bending grass that waits for me.

And yes I sometimes fall from grace
And land upon a softer place.
These things they seem to come and go
Like antlers on a dear old foe.

I wish our love could always find
Aphrodite and her shrine
Upon the ocean’s frothy shore
So I could dive and fall no more.

And then our nights would last til dawn
As we would roll upon the shore
With taut skin scratched until it bled
And arched back crying to be fed.

With water glistening on your breasts
Hair laced seashells wildly dressed
Bruised lips laid upon my skin
And birds screaming just where we’ve been.

I would grasp your waist below
And lift you up so you would know
My masterful (Dear God) embrace
And never want to leave this place!

Until this happens close your eyes
Remember when our youth belied
The constant setting of the sun
Days to years that soon would run.

For in my heart the blood flows warm
And sometimes wishes it were young.
But in my mind the sand breathes fire
Embracing you with deep desire.

I wish that I could show you more
But know it’s you that I adore
And help me find the script I laid
Between the words of this brief page.

So then we’ll see just what is what
And who is hot and just how much
Eager to visit warmer clime
And merge both blood and open mind.

I hope you’re ready as they say
To see the dragon slayed today.
Make sure the mirrors have been cleaned
So we may view the fateful deed.

Whatever happens most of all
Let me make you laugh somehow.
Your clown prince cometh soon to town
And all do hope he won’t fall down.

And when at last we rest at night
Upon a silent sheet of light
Listening to the dogs next door
Remember I do you adore.
And know tis you that I adore.

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Now might be a good time to mention that the voices speaking in each of my poems are not necessarily me! Parts of them might be me or all or none.

Because this poetry as a whole is not about me! Hopefully it will be more entertaining than it possibly could if that were the case. I am trying to write about our human condition and the strong emotions that are a part of it. Love seems to be an easy one for me to write about but maybe at some point I will try some others. But not really dark ones. I won’t be writing about hate anytime soon. Fear maybe. Oh wait. I already did that in the poem about the tiger. Confusion? Is that an emotion? Embarrassment? That’s a possibility.

We will see. Thank you for all the encouragement I have received for poems already done. They really are the soul of this blog and the main source of its traffic as well.

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Maybe we will see you at the beach sometime!

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More poetry from Davidlind

Sailing Away

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Last night we gathered on a ship

Our tribe and all our friends,

And sailed for distant galaxies

To find a peaceful land.

The stars received us as we went

Our lives passed through their gaze

We sailed between bright fire and light

Our eyes were all ablaze.

Read more. . . .

My eyes cracked open at the crack of dawn today. And I wobbled over to the window and looked out through more cracks in the blinds and the spaces between the leaves outside. And I was happy to see. . . COLOR!

That’s right sports fans. There was a little bit of pink or light red in the sky and this is a very good sign.

Because it means that in about thirty minutes if your intrepid photo guy can put on his pants and find his way down to the James River we may end up with something like this to show you before 8 am.

I even had time to go to Starbucks for a coffee and blueberry scone before heading down to the Pony Pasture to see all my winged friends. Because I have done this before and kind of know what I am doing now.

This is why you need a nice camera dude! What did you see last night on television that can compare with this?

The Tudors? Well, alright. You have a point. But you can record that sucker and go to bed. Or you can sleep less and do both. But in any case you need to be out there when the sun comes up.

Because this is when the magic happens.

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Here is a larger view on Blogger

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In this photo we can see the reflection of the sun as it peaks over the hill on the scales of this large fish. The Osprey is having him over for breakfast.

Who says birds are not hospitable?

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