TizArt

Remembering Kay

4' x 4'  NFS

Poem follows:

Copyright Churchill Mallison 1996

Remembering Kay...
Her name was Kendall May
That's what she would say,
But I could call her Kay anyway.

Skeeter and I were playing in the sand
When this scrawny little girl approached.
I knew she was poor, even then.
I was but four, maybe five years old.
Kay was Skeeter's age, a year younger.

I was biggest.

Remembering Kay...
Kay was silky blond hair and eyes,
Knobby knees and big skinny feet.
Never cut her hair it danced in the wind.
Big eyes blue as the Atlantic

Which wasn't really blue, it was kinda gray
With yellow_white foam like lace
That blew ashore so we could stomp in it.
"Can I play?"
"Sure."

Remembering Kay...
Me 'n Skeeter 'n Kay played Army,
Or cowboys or cars and trucks.
We had forts hidden amongst the sand dunes,
Tunnels, rabbit runs really, in the scrub.
We spied on imaginary bad guys.

I was Lash LaRue or John Wayne, she was Jeff Chandler,
Skeeter was a sheriff or a general or something.
He wasn't a movie star, just had to be boss
'Cause he was the only boy.

Remembering Kay...
Ever the lonely beach girl.
She was sea shells, the magic roar in the conchs,
Sea gulls soaring or skimming the waves.
But she never waded more than knee deep in the surf
She dreamed and made sand castles that the waves took away.
She worried for her mother and protected her friends,
Took in strays but never married.

Time ravaged her memories and left an empty shell.
The shore swept clean, sighs and waits.

I wonder if angels drape themselves in sunsets
To dance among the clouds.

I'll look for her there.