Monday, March 02, 2009

"The tide Rises, tide falls "



I have always loved the ocean and the forceful sound of waves pounding to shore.



It always reminds me of how much larger the force of life is than anyone of us.



The totality of the cosmos is the froth of wave. -The curl and unfettered dance of surf power.




The first time I visited the seashore I was seven years old and still I am awed by the beauty and intimidation of immortality in the sea.



I brought my young nephew, Neptune along with me and his response was a bit more subdued than usual. "I will play with these rocks" he announced and made himself busy with sea stones, an enormous sand castle and his small shovel.



The sea brought alive memories I had of Longfellow's poem, "The tide rises, the tide falls," and Mansfields, "Oh, bring me down to the sea again..."



A visit to the ocean is required for all humans when they forget they are just human.



And the mesmerizing gift of the surf belongs to every person who can dance in spirit.



This was my day at Stinson Beach.



This was my opportunity to remember my far past and childhood dreams of seashells, seaweed and hidden treasures.




The surf came in faster than I expected and tiny Neptune was aghast when his sea castle was flung effortlessly in the foaming, churning, underwater of what will become his childhood memories.




And here I will end with a sea poem that is perfect.

The tide rises, the tide falls,
The twilight darkens, the curlew calls;
Along the sea-sands damp and brown
The traveler hastens toward the town,
And the tide rises, the tide falls.
Darkness settles on roofs and walls,
But the sea, the sea in darkness calls;
The little waves, with their soft, white hands
Efface the footprints in the sands,
And the tide rises, the tide falls.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I can feel the sun and wind and hear the surf and smell the air. Thanks for sharing these exquisite photos. They brought back pleasant memories of times spent at Stinton Beach. Neptune and Princess Haiku had a magical day, I see!

goatman said...

"Lives of great men each remind us
we can live a life sublime
and departing leave behind us
footprints on the sands of time"

I think that is how it went, from Mr Longfellow.