8 july ettrick

sea's blue shutter
shatters to a bright speculating
accumulating shimmy of light
lazy blazing the singing shingle shore
which gives, clenches, grips each step
chinking half mussels sky's fossil tears

a shadow - seagull
wings wind tought
passes, pupil black
wish before action

near's sunhoned : sharp
rocks sheer off darkness
in cool slices

yet across the outstretched glitter
of Ettrick Bay, far thinned land
lies sigh soft
as a dream unfollowed

we see sitting on this outcrop, long in reaching
hush humbled by beauty
butterfly delighted
I lean into you, breeze sheafed with leaves
crushed waves and bumble-bee business
in the myriad wild flowers

between nestling kisses
on skin the sea licked first
through the rainbows of your hair
I try to name, but thyme's all I know
and I wish I could untame these hours
from the stroking hands of watches
let this time go
unnumbered

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