SEA CHANGE

 the summer house is life on a different plane
old rules do not apply
long days of idleness are not suspect
an hour’s walk along the sand
or the digging of clams for half a day
are looked upon as industry
to be applauded or disdained
according to one’s view of life
as seen from the beach chair
we give each other galaxies of space
and watch no clocks
we eat when we are hungry
and sleep when we must
in touch with our circadian selves
our talk is gentle discourse
no louder than the shore birds
nor as filled with news
we city ants
become grasshoppers for a time
in the joy of simple pleasure
we are improvident

 Shirley Williams Homes
from Lost & Found, Prose and Poetry

Reprinted by permission of the author