THE WISH

My mother's little gumboots
stand together
at the foot of the stairs
like two old soldiers

waiting to march
with her
between the rows
of potatoes and peas

and if she could
she would have taken them
to wear with her white gown
and her heavenly wings

but now
she'll just have to float
barefooted
over the celestial fields of flowers.

---

BLUE SEAGULLS

Last week I went back
to my childhood beach
and let the small white waves
wander over my toes.

But where was the jutting island
of pirates and Peter Pan?
The long ago lagoon
and the crocodile ridge?

Why had the beach
become so starched
so stony
with a cold wind blowing?

And when did the highflying
free wheeling seagulls
change
from blue to grey?