blues blend in skies blushing above
glassy waves striking sugary sands
to the beat of rhythmic melodies pulsing
from El’s crackly portable speaker.

sheltered in the scraggly trees and sea grape just beyond water’s break,
i roll the smooth, rising moon
on my tongue, like a blue jolly rancher
mixing palettes on paper plates, i swirl acrylic anecdotes into peeling scrolls of bark
under beaded seashells clinking and swinging on braided hemp string and
amid broken green glass and shark teeth threatening to cut calloused feet.

i hum the tune with the beads and the leaves, waves thundering, brush spreading
sun’s silent chords incarnate.