Shards of Sand

Creamed Strawberry Mint

It was there and then it wasn't
Missed the chance passed the moment
Sand in our shoes nothing to do
But wish for something sweeter

And maybe that's what we got
A flickering postcard sunset later
We were flying over water
But too late the line too long
Dry mouths and it was over but
The stale air of the store breathed
Out sugar and it was okay that we
Had to use plastic forks instead of
Spoons it all tasted the same
Like the way memories threaten
To fade except I knew it wouldn't
Instead it would stay

All of it would stay

Spoonfuls and spoonfuls
Slipping down choked throats
Closed too tight to disclose the
Truth or at least to you
To you the words are like cookies
Stuck in cream supposed to flow
Smoothly but what does it mean
When I sense ice when I sense
A need to thaw a need to scream?

I wish it weren't
But truth is I can't find the warmth
Or I couldn't then
Now I have it as time has gone
The words have swelled ripe
Strawberries on gentle vines
That will reach out for us or me
To give to you they will reach down
To us from up to me to you
And they'll stain our hands crimson
Sticky scarlet shining so
It won't matter if we don't know
All the answers

So alive

So rare and raw and I wonder
If you wanted it to last
To go on and be savored
As friends as a brother and a sister
As slivers of chocolate
On our tongues dissolved into
Fresh mint and too soon
It was no more

But just enough

To linger there
To remember
There's tomorrow
Or eternity
And I'll keep in mind
That that wasn't the end and
Maybe next time
We can scoop as friends
And go back and forward
Until we understand

We'll savor it every time
Until we melt again.