Why we sailed to sea

It is only sand upon a beach.

It is only tiny pieces of glass

   shattered and pulverized.

It is only jagged edges upon the shore

   anticipating bare feet

and the inevitable trail of blood.

Two by two we pushed off

into the angry waves thrusting

   and shoving against us.

The shore line transformed

into horizon,  we paddled

   into deeper water, enveloped

by rain, crystals of frozen fog.

For a moment the noise abated,

    noise of undetermined origin,

metamorphosing into silence,

   the sudden clarity of silence,

allowing an understanding

   of the loudness of the rain.

We can no longer see the shore

   anticipating bare feet

and the inevitable trail of blood.

Photograph by Petr Kratochvil via Public Domain Pictures. Used with permission.