Thursday, October 27, 2011

On the beach today.

I missed the coming of the light, and by the time I reached the beach the tide was full in. Walking out onto the small headland an ink dark seal lifted her head. Closer she came and closer, her body salt-water buoyant in the sea, her eyes dark and wild. The clouds silvered wind wrinkled sea surface. Walking back to the beach she followed around and stayed close to the slip, lifted by small waves. The sea cradled her beauty.
I met Maggie. She told me that yesterday a pup had been taken from the beach. The sea had been rough and her pup was young so they had found a place to rest, safe. It was by the slip and the tide full out and when the sea rolls back at Whitesands it rolls back far. The sandy stretch between mother and child would have seemed like an ocean. So many people at the beach, so many dogs. People had come and taken it away to the seal rescue place. So when the sea came in and the people went away she would have come back to look for her child, but he was gone.
Wild thing. She searches for him. It tears your heart.
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8 comments:

  1. suzanne rees glanisterOctober 27, 2011 at 1:21 AM

    a woman stands
    all alone, ready to wade
    across the Milky Way

    Mitsuhashi Takajo 1899-1972

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  2. dinahmowOctober 27, 2011 at 2:04 AM

    Yes, Jackie, it does.

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  3. maryomOctober 27, 2011 at 2:09 AM

    We're off to Norfolk soon in the hope of seeing seals. At Wells next the Sea they fence off an area of beach to give the seals and their pups some privacy from the two - and four- legged visitors, although still within easy viewing distance. Wonder if this idea would work at Whitesands?

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  4. AnonymousOctober 27, 2011 at 8:58 AM

    Oh Jackie! with a catch in the throat and a tear in the corner of my eye deeply thanking you for writing this honouring

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  5. YarrowOctober 27, 2011 at 1:18 PM

    And fills me with tears. Such a sad story.

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  6. EmOctober 28, 2011 at 4:45 AM

    Comparing your drawing with the photo : it seems you can't help but put Luce into the eye of the creatures you commit to paper.

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  7. Windsongs and WordhoardsOctober 30, 2011 at 5:18 AM

    The wordcraft you use says so much more than just the words alone... its very sad but also seems to hold echoes of myths, selkies and lost children...
    Reminds me also of a certain Sea Spirit losing her child between the Storm and the Seawolves...
    At least the pup is safe, though the poor mother will likely never know that...

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  8. Jackie MorrisOctober 30, 2011 at 5:26 AM

    Thank you. And yes, brought that one back to me too.

    ReplyDelete

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