Littoral / by Alex Williamson

 

 

Here is a wall where there was no wall.

And here a face in the faceless sand.

 

Here was a dune, and here was broom

And gorse and marram grass. And here a storm

 

Brought water to the tethered land with teeth -

Like love, like laughter - and set about its task.

Here sea met shore and sucked and dragged.

And here is a line, and here a flag.

This is the currency of the sea.

 

The sea loves the land like a comely neighbour.

Rub shoulders and winks, clinks a glass

 

On summer evenings and bleak midwinter,

Before the fucking. Before the dance.

 

Before manic wind gibbers and moans -

Here is the shipwreck and here the bones -

Stirs the waves with renewed hunger,

Brings water with teeth - like anger, like murder.

This is the currency of the sea.

And we will build new walls

To keep us from her water.

 

And we will build new walls

To keep us from her love.

 

And we will build new walls

To keep everything in order.

Here is a wall where there was no wall.

And here a face in the faceless sand. 

And here a line, and here a flag.

This is the currency of the sea.