Father’s Day
A low metronomic plash
waves flat-lining on the shore
sailboats tacking
kayakers kayaking,
someone talking loudly
about the cost of child care,
two blankets down.
It’s Father’s day
and all the dads and kids are out
throwing ball, kicking ball
building elaborate castles in the sand
and they are not alone,
the ghosts of fathers passed are here too,
including my own;
pale-bodied, they roam the beach
wearing old-fashioned swim trunks,
grinning widely
at the continuum
of dads, kids, sun, sand and sea.
Taking part in Open Link Night over at dverse.
Also taking part in Open Link weekend over at earthweal.
Stopdraggingthepanda 
The image of the ghostly fathers is wonderful – took me to my father’s own tropical swimming trunks, sagging palm trees beneath a sagging belly – I’m sure he’s walking a beach somewhere.
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Thanks Peter! Yes those trunks were prone to sagging!
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My father and his good friend, unbeknownst to each other, purchased the same yellow striped swim trunks from JC Penny one year. You poem reminded me of a photo I have of then, twinned, arms around each other and grinning, standing in the sand.
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Lovely memory, Kerfe!
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It’s a bright continuum, Jim, perfectly rendered!
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Thank you , Ingrid!
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The northeast shore of Lake Erie in Ontario, just across the border from Buffalo, NY, has a mile-long stretch of sandy beach. In the 1950s and 1960s my family would spend the day there. You brought back that memory. Thank you.
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Glad you liked it Ken!
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Such a wonderful drift through memories, rising on the thermals of love. Excellent Jim!
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Thanks Rob, mugh appreciated!
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Such a sweet elegy to your father.
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In our society there is no continuum, it seems, only chaos, but one of deep connection can be found here with the love given and received through generations. Vivid as an old snapshot remastered.
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Thank you Joy, much appreciated!
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Jim, I love that thought that all of the fathers are there, on the beach, and smiling ❤
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Thanks Lisa!
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You’re welcome.
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This is very touching, Jim, the thought of all those spirit-fathers in old fashioned bathing suits,smiling among the crowd – a continuum of fathers……..lovely.
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Thanks Sherry!
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Though he was hardly a beach guy, some of my favorite pix of my father was with my brother and I at the beach. Saggy trunks and all. Amen.
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Yep, those saggy trunks seem to be a recurrent theme!
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