WE WALK THE BEACH ~ A poem by Gareth Culshaw

WE WALK THE BEACH

That day on the beach at Llandanwg.
The sky pressing itself against the sea,
pushed waves from the other side
of this eye we call earth. Our soles grappled
with pebbles, eyesight – splintered by
the lemon light. We talked with the gulls
that promised rain but brought a gust.
Seaweed – wet dreadlocks of a history
we have never seen. Jellyfish, solder blobs
of a tide that took away last night’s stars.
Left us with a horizon that flamed itself
far out, far out, but we carried on
along the pregnant curve of water
in hope the pebbles thin to sand
allow our steps to print the sky.
My right shoulder held the pots of houses
that hem a village that is split by a road,
we will use to travel home.
Mountains were lizard teeth against a froth
of cloud. People’s kitchen voices gobbled up
by the waves hush. We carried on. Knowing
on my left, a liquid tongue, licks away
at a place we all call home.

Gareth Culshaw

Gareth lives in Wales. His first collection came out in 2018 by Futurecycle called The Miner. In 2020, his second collection, Shadows of Tryfan is released. He is an MFA student at Manchester Met. Also nominated for Best of the Net. Gareth’s first collection, ‘The Miner’ is available now at: http://gcwculshaw.moonfruit.com/

He tweets @Culshawpoetry1

YouTube Channel – Gareth Culshaw Poetry – https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TZHzyZDnBU4

Photo credit by Emma Leeke ~ https://dioni.co.uk/cottages/traditional-seaside-holiday-cottage-in-llandanwg-glan-y-mor/attachment/llandanwg-beach-nearby/