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Thomas James Martin

Moonlight

I remember the first time my family rented a vacation cottage at Long Beach. Darkness had fallen by the time we finished unloading the car. I came in with the last load and after dropping the box in the kitchen went out to the screen porch where Mother was standing.

first night
the full moon floats
on silver waves

Every now and then through the years she would remind me of how beautiful she found the moonlit ocean and how precious the memory. I gratefully remember those pitchers of iced tea, countless meals and covering my brother and me with lotions. She would drink coffee and gaze at the ocean for hours.

waist deep in the sea
"can't you come in a little"
current pulls at my feet