Nature’s Kiss

She walks along the shore…
Feels him as the waves wash over her bare feet
Feels him as the breeze tickles her soft skin
Feels him in the smell of the ocean air
Misses his touch with every step

She walks along the shore…
Picks up a shell on the beach – thinks of him
With shell pressed to ear – she feels his kiss
From the emptiness – he ripples through her
Holds tight her magic shell – no longer alone

She walks along the shore…
Smiles within at nature’s kiss

Artist: Garmash; Poet: Mike Evans

Edges

As she steps along the top of the ridge that leads down to the shore, Anna feels the warm salty ocean breeze engulf her. The view spectacular as usual, but her mind doesn’t register the beauty today. Instead, she concentrates on keeping her walls up and holding off thoughts of Kyle that flow along her edges. Kyle has been away so long and is so far away, she reflects – why do thoughts of him continue to persist?

Anna sighs and starts her descent to the beach – it is her safe place – a place of cleansing. Reaching the bottom of the ridge, she automatically removes her sandals. Her toes dig into the soft grainy texture of the sand – she always loves this feeling. She hears the waves crashing against the shore about 100 yards away – they seem to call out to her.

She wanders slowly towards the shore’s edge – fighting with each step to keep thoughts of Kyle from penetrating her defenses. She finds herself focusing on the sound of the waves washing against the shore – a repeating loud seductive swooshing sound – getting louder as she nears the shore’s edge.

Finally reaching the shore’s edge, waves wash over her bare feet – and the ocean spray tickles her skin. At first, she thinks she is just hearing things – the seductive swooshing sound that precedes each wave sounds a lot like Kyle’s name – her mind is playing tricks – has to be.

She considers taking a few steps back – just out of reach; but the next wave pulls her forward – and she begins to enjoy the soothing rhythm that flows around her body. She continues to hear Kyle’s name coming from the swooshing sound of the waves against the beach again – she definitely hears it – doesn’t she?

With each wave, the ocean spray dances along her skin – and evokes a familiar sensation – she feels his touch. She suddenly smiles at the memory and thoughts of him flood through. How can he be so far away, she wonders – he feels so close?

…

A group of seagulls sitting idly by the waters edge further north suddenly cry out and fly towards her, which pulls her eyes towards the man walking along the beach’s edge – and he’s coming her way…

Vision

Kyle watches Anna descend from the ridge – he knew she would come here today. At least he hoped she would. He’d been sitting, all morning, about 100 yards north of where she normally entered this beach – really, their beach. This would have been their day – this should have been their day. After four years together, he thought…

But, it isn’t … and now watching Anna descend the ridge towards the beach without him stings – stings bad. He didn’t really expected this level of pain – but, he knew he should have. He wonders if she still carries any thoughts of him with her – their last moment together seemed so sad and final. He decides – she probably buried them away, like he tried to do.

Almost one year away and he still thinks of that moment every day. “Get yourself together Kyle”, he commands himself as he tries to shake the sadness out of his body. Slowly, he rises and takes a step towards the edge of the ridge – then backs away and begins to aimlessly pace about – watching as Anna walks along the beach towards the shore’s edge. “What is wrong with you? – Move!” he silently screams within.

He’d come all this way to see her … and she is so close now … what is stopping him? As hard as he tries to overcome it, the sadness of that day seems to overwhelm him and something inside refuses to let his legs move him towards her. Memories begin to flood his mind and cloud over his sight … the image of Anna slowly fades from view. “Is she really here – or is he seeing what he wants to be”, he hears himself wonder.

…

The sudden cry of seagulls snaps him out of the cloudy haze – and as his vision slowly clears, he sees her – as impossibly beautiful as ever. She seems so close to him now … but, he wonders how he got on the shore – walking towards her. This time, however, he ignores the inner questioning voice and continues towards Anna. He begins to hear her name with the crashing waves and feel her touch with the ocean spray.

And yet, a flash of light that hits his eyes distracts him for a moment – and he looks up towards the ridge he was on … who is that guy pacing aimlessly about he wonders… The crashing wave sound of Anna’s name pulls him back towards her – as he continues along the shore’s edge.

Artist: Garmash; Author: Mike Evans

Voices Never Heard

the silence echoes
it resonates through his dreams
his children are here

Artist: Michael Garmash; Haiku Poet: Mike Evans

Along The Edges

along the edges
thoughts of you come invited
i let them linger

Artist: Garmash; Haiku Poet: Mike Evans

Along The Edges

Thoughts of him
Skipping along her edges
Looking for an opening
A place to enter

She wanders the beach
Ending at the shore’s edge
She feels the ocean waves
Wash over her bare feet

She considers stepping back
Just out of their reach
Yet, she stays – entranced
Feeling their soothing rhythm

The ocean breeze joins in
Playfully brushing past her
She smiles, remembers his touch
Allows thoughts of him to enter

The distant between them
Not quite so far now
They dance together today
Along the edges

Artist: Garmash; Poet: Mike Evans

Voices Never Heard

In our dream,
we stroll hand in hand
Sarah and Aden running ahead,
laughing

In our dream,
we hear the rustling of the leaves
Sarah and Aden turn to make sure we are
watching

In our dream,
we talk of their future
Sarah and Aden playing in the leaves without a
care

In our dream,
we see our grandchildren
Sarah and Aden, with the exuberance of youth,
sing “we love you”

With those words,
they disappear around the bend
If only it were more than a
dream

Voices never heard…

Artist: Garmash; Poet: Mike Evans