I spent half of 2013 on crutches as I recovered from reconstructive knee surgery that came with a lengthy period of rehab. That May we celebrated our 26th anniversary with a long weekend at our favorite place, Fripp Island SC. I could only walk very short distances but I could pedal a bike. So on the night of our anniversary, we took a late-night bike ride on two beat-up beach cruisers. The tide was low, the moon was full, and our shadows created a memorable evening.
26
Sweetheart…
I do believe that last glass of wine, gave the moon time
To climb a bit higher, and cast wispy Atlantic shadows onto our night
These two forlorn bikes may yet chase mystery, adventure, romance
Look past those pedestrian lines
The scars of carelessness, and their saltwater-weathered steel
My dear Amy, the ocean beckons
Shall we ride the length of this island, across the remnants of the tide?
Sand gently yields to tire, frothy salt water cascades towards us, reaching out, drawing back
Gentle pedal strokes carve love notes across our beach
Our lines intertwine, crossing, fading, chasing then embracing
Ghosts so elusive in the day’s light, scurry from our midnight path as
We chase our shadows, the moon, our past
Never quite catching, never quite leaving
She calls out and smiles, eyes reflecting the stars
A little further, a little slower, a little faster
A twist of steel, a balmy splash
I lift my feet, slice through summer’s rush
Creating my own tiny, fleeting ocean, now colliding back together
Saltwater mist glides across wounds, soothes pain, eases into hope
Now race me back to the quiet of our night
Hold me close and whisper…
Happy Anniversary
