By the seaside
I sit a while
I pause to reflect
I cry and smile

For here I am
Lost in reverie
Of times gone past
Cast out to sea

As the tides wash away
My troubles and cares
Eternity lives on
My soul still dares

In a moment’s peace
My heart is soothed
The sound of the waves
Clears my head too

The clouds of life
Extend beyond the horizon
Above them blue sky
Where hope lingers on

The breeze caresses
My skin and senses
Then clarity comes
Releases defenses

Here in this place
Vulnerable me
Here’s where I can
Just truly be

The depths of the ocean
So ready to accept
Any old lament
No longer kept

Cleansed I rise
To walk a new path
Fresher I feel
Ready to depart

New horizons beckon
As I watch the birds soar
My body unleashes
A silent roar

For what is to come
Nobody knows
But here at the sea
There are no foes

Just blissful joy
As time stands still
Refreshed, renewed
I can, I will

-Sue Ellcon, 2024