A CHANGE OF TIDE

All day long the slow sun burning bled

Upon the southern sea. Waves rammed red

Bulldozers racing down the battered beach

As far as tyrant tide could time-clock reach.

But came a change of tide and night’s star-rise

Made flameless fire the ocean’s new disguise.

In wonder-stroll, cliff-high, we saw how red

Became electric white, the crests below

Alight with foaming phosphorescent glow.

Steel-bright, in luminous runs, long spears

Broke silver-black, a thousand chandeliers

Fell, crashing crystal dark upon a row

Of sandpools melting into receding tow

Of sea’s erupting glass. Now high, now low,

Quicksilvered night cascaded, wild and free,

When water lightning struck the southern sea.

#SeaPhosphorescence #SeaPoem #NaturePoem #SummerPoem