The Orphanage at Sea
He noticed the lip -
of my petticoat,
knew his whisker's
moved when he smiled.
It was his thing the
doorman mumbled, "He
had many things in
one lifetime."
We strolled down to
a river bed - near
rocks where they meet
shells and color
melts into sand -
He waved to the
doorman to fetch a
carriage to travel
further - closer to
the shore.
The horses hoofs once
shined and coat once
white - splashed by
mud from giant wheels,
the carriage man - drove.
In front of us an ocean
grand moved faster -
powerful currents brought
wadding in salt water
to our waists.
Men yelled, told us they
have measured sand and
watched as water spilt
over pillars of homes -
I stared at the orphanage.
We moved back to watch a
wave crash into the boardwalk -
hard candy apples stands
floated out toward the sea,
now a strange color of green.
The palms were talking -
as if to warn us - but foolish
love took over as I whispered,
"They are kissing," and wrapped
myself around his chest. . .
The men yelled, warned us of
the coming storm, and once
again I glanced toward the
orphanage.
His arms loosely holding
me, slipping down to hold
my hand, he knew too a
storm was brewing when the
ocean sucked out all the
sand.
The water left the shore,
waves disappeared and far into
the distance a roar I never
heard the likes of before. . .
And still he grinned, his
mustache turned up - he
glanced back for the
carriage man, he too
disappeared.
We never made it to the
boardwalk - he never made
it past the day - and when
I looked to view the
orphanage - I saw children
standing in the ocean on
a roof.
Nancy Duci Denofio
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