A Walk on the Beach

It is an isolated beach
On the Oregon coast
And we are
The only ones there.

The sands are pristine
Untouched by footprints
Except our own
Before they are washed away.

There are driftwood logs,
Remnants of huge trees,
Washed up in the surf,
Embedded in the sand.

I photograph their wooded shapes
With you in varied poses
And I capture a sense of you,
The beauty and the beach.

The beach stretches for at least a mile
In either direction
Washed out of the surrounding cliffs
Creating a peaceful desolation.

We feel the cold wetness
At our feet
As we bare foot
Down the beach.

We wrap our arms
Around each other as we walk,
Not needing to say a word,
Just enjoying being together.

We stop to play in the sand
And build a sandcastle,
A monument only intended to last
Until the surf washes it away.

We climb higher up on the beach
Away from the water
And claim a sandy lookout
From which we can watch and listen.

We lie there side by side,
Our hearts on fire
And our bodies warmed
By the sun and each other.

We listen to the quiet
Of the gentle ocean waves,
Enjoying the solitude
As well as the peace within.

And after a while
We begin to talk
Of the dreams we have
And the life we want.

There is an ease
With which we share
The passions of our hearts
And the longings of our minds.

Maybe tranquility brings contentment,
Or simply being together
Soothes our soul souls,
But in that moment we seek forever.