The Beach

The cottage stood on a small hill

that sloped gently down to a beach and lake

Beyond the low smooth grass

was a narrow ribbon of yellow sand

It shone like gold in the sun

My brother and I built castles on the moist sandy fringe

We dug holes

imagining they would be able to travel

all the way to another place

We tumbled about playing on the grassy strip area

The water was clear, clean and dark blue

sometimes dark green near the shore

and icy cold to the touch

In the near distance

a clump of gloomy sky keeps its watch over us

silently signalling

beckoning us to do away with our childish games

and head up the hill before the storm

I sense a gray sky moving swiftly inwards

A loud clap of lightening and a boom of thunder

is its final warning

as we scamper towards the cottage before the heavy rainfall.