Joy Dampened (by Peter Elliott)

Poem 4 of 27 in "Be Meditated"

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A pleasant Friday evening soon after sundown
We stroll along the balmy beach-front
Making our way to Kerford Road
And out onto the pier
Moderate-sized swells moving past us
On their way to the shore.

At the end are clustered little groups of fishermen
The results of their endeavours visible on the pier
Over there flaps a baby shark in a bucket
Still alive? Already dead? I don't know

I turn to see
The moon recently risen
Resplendent full and golden yellow
Suspended over the houses
Of Beaconsfield Parade,
Unable to suppress
An exclamation of delight

At this a head turns in my direction
Eyes with uncomprehending look
Eyes that are mildly censoring
Eyes that if they had spoken
Might have said something like:

"Now come on you relic of the hippie days
You New Age mystic
That's just the moon
And even though it can be reflected in the sea
On a calm day
You know as well as I do
There's no way it will take any bait
There's no way it can be caught
And that's what I'm out here for
To catch me a fish or two
I don't want none of your nature communing."

We walked back to the shore
With the moon still friendly beaming
But after experiencing that look
It was a while before
I could once again be innocently open
To its mystery and magic.

---(Peter Elliott)---

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