On the sea-bound temple-stage
children sing and dance for prizes
and people sit in rows applauding.
Do they notice someone’s uncle
hauling beach tents spades and buckets ?
Do they notice the tall, tattoo’d girl
shouldering her orange surfboard?
Or two old sisters, arm in arm ,
dressed in fawn with wild blue hats,
who watch the donkeys on the sand,
savouring the memory
of seaside childhood days ?
Or two black dogs, slick with sea water
watching out and contemplating:
friendship, long beach walks
and coming First in Show?
Or the woman with green towels,
grey hair, purple top and wobbling breasts
dreaming of her butterfly 
years.
Or the plush rabbit
trying to escape
the straw basket of the girl
in the moth-white dress.
Or the old woman sitting on her own
smiling as she taps her finger,
keeping time with the music
and talking to someone
who is not there.
Wish you were here
wxx
