Dream

She will shiver as she steps out of the sea.

You will wait as she carefully tip-toes across the

                              smooth                stone                 shore,

then arms wide open, you will wrap a blue towel

around her shoulders and kiss the salt on her scalp,

whispering the words you wish you’d heard         in your youth.

You will climb the crooked steps,

as long grass brushes your calves.

You feel the sun warm the left side of your face

as you lift the handle of the picnic basket

 into the crook of your arm,

shouting back          laughing      ‘come on we’ll be late.’

You will later rinse the lather from the glasses

(small stemmed and embossed in that French style you like)

then feel his warmth on your neck

as the shush shush of waves lap and

he’ll whisper to you the words you wish you’d heard        in your youth.