04-19-2016, 10:45 AM
Five years gone and five years
followed to find them and the Atlantic
has been tamed to a perfect edge
against the hot white sand. Green canvas
parasols are spaced like buttons
along the beach and you can rent them
or the blue canvas deck chairs that sit
beside them like loyal dogs.
The hotel is new and the hotels
that flank it are newer and from the balcony
on the twenty fifth floor I can see
the lotioned gleam of bathers’ skin
and the signs prohibiting drinking
or littering that flank the stylish
teakwood trash receptacles.
And everyone is young and beautiful
in their brand name bathing suits
bought last weekend as they force
as much fun as they can into this week
so no one has the time to travel
to the old moss-slimed pier to see
the box kite along the rocks below -
just broken sticks
and tattered linen.
Response to The Kite be Anne Sexton
followed to find them and the Atlantic
has been tamed to a perfect edge
against the hot white sand. Green canvas
parasols are spaced like buttons
along the beach and you can rent them
or the blue canvas deck chairs that sit
beside them like loyal dogs.
The hotel is new and the hotels
that flank it are newer and from the balcony
on the twenty fifth floor I can see
the lotioned gleam of bathers’ skin
and the signs prohibiting drinking
or littering that flank the stylish
teakwood trash receptacles.
And everyone is young and beautiful
in their brand name bathing suits
bought last weekend as they force
as much fun as they can into this week
so no one has the time to travel
to the old moss-slimed pier to see
the box kite along the rocks below -
just broken sticks
and tattered linen.
Response to The Kite be Anne Sexton