Sea-Dog

The sea, like a shaggy dog,

flops and pounces on the sand

leaving a ragged trail.

Sweeps the shore with his tail,

tickles and licks at my toes.

Nighttime sun burnishes

mother-of-pearl

across his shaggy locks,

announcing bedtime.

The faithful dog stays on,

sleeping not,

upon the bedded shore.

Growing up in San Francisco, the beach was never very far away, and living in Pacifica for many years after, the beach was even closer. I've always loved walking along the beach, and watching the hypnotic ebb and flow of the waves against the shore.

Each time of day has its own different feeling and mood, which this poem tried to capture, as well as the eternal essence of the sea.

Originally written in November of 1989, it was edited somewhat in May of 2010.