A sudden flash of light…..then the thunder growled and roared loudly. Kate wondered if the roof would collapse as the whole house seemed to shake to its foundations; the back door rattling in its frame. Strong house though, built in 1875 it must’ve withstood far worse than this. In World War 2 the front door blew up the stairs as a bomb hit the land opposite so Kate had been told.
As she was reminiscing on stories told to her as a child about the house, the rain started. It turned quickly from a smattering of droplets to an absolute deluge. The water pounding on the roof as another rumble of thunder joined in the melee.
Safe and warm indoors, Kate realised she had only just got back in time from her shopping trip. Lucky for her the weather had kept dry while she was out, she thought.
The storm continued off and on while she had her lunch. One minute the sun returned to shine its threat of summer that had never truly appeared this year and the next the clouds darkened and the storm returned reminding Kate that autumn was indeed on its way. Would a summer ever be summer again she wondered longingly. She went back out to the kitchen to look out of the window. The rain had eased, almost stopped and the sky was lighting up once more. A sudden thought crossed her mind, the beach, a walk on the beach would be nice. The sun was shining now and she needed a bit of cheering up. She felt a bit tired and uninspired. The beach always made her feel better, provided inspiration for her work as a poet. Yes, the beach………..
She only needed to drive about 8 miles, the sun shining all the way to the spot she loved so well. She parked the car in her usual place, got out and skipped down to the beach. The tide had turned and was on its way back in but there was a wide ribbon of sand to walk on and still her mind from the mundane chores she had left undone.
The waves were beautiful, breath-taking as they rolled onto the shore. In the distance the horizon held promise of another storm, but not yet she thought, not yet. Safe to walk on the beach to the café for a quick cuppa in her favourite café.
Sitting at the table looking out at the tide she lost herself in thoughts of poetic proposals that she may put down on paper later. Two years since she discovered the talent – must’ve lain dormant all these years and had come out in a sudden inspirational flow when the time was right. Flowed here like the tide.
She finished her libation and trotted happily back to the shore, this time walking on the lower promenade as the sea was now full in bouncing off the steps that led to the beach. She was one of very few people walking there this day she was glad to find. She began to recite her first born poem to the wind and the tide.
As she finished her recital she felt a drop of rain on her face, realising how dark the sky had become while she was lost in her reverie. She was only half way back to the car but the distance to the café was the same. A flash of lightening over the sea, the thunder growled once more and as the rain became a torrent she smiled. Ah well, she thought, it’s only water…….
Aderyn y Mor
(Aug 2012)
