" Travelers"
1
The climbing hibiscus
smells of an ocean
as it makes its way
leaf over leaf
along cracks and lichens
stone after stone
as if
seagulls have loyalty or faith
and bells around their heads
as they call to each wave
that takes you further away
and upon crashing
you answer
2
We traveled to a cave once,
you and I.
An island in the Windwards
where we wore our trousers rolled
not to walk the beach
not because we lusted for mermaids
or paintings
but at low tide we only needed
to get our feet wet
to enter the dark place of coral.
We saw high-violet
and red-orange flowers
growing underwater
when we walked among them,
shy petals tickling our toes.
We closed our eyes
just as they tried to hide
beneath the braid
of the last mermaid.
You kissed each eyelid and said,
"Sleep now, and when you wake
you will have washed upon the shore
of another island named after saints."
3
The tide rose
filling the cave
so blue that a nest of seagulls
thinking they were flying
drowned
in periwinkle,
in turquoise
We never return,
the same as before
climbing stones
open windows
© 2002 Lauriette (Laurie Byro)
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