Sand Castles

Building castles on the beach has always been for me
An exercise in pleasure when I'm playing by the sea

As a child I built them tall down by the waters side
Down where the sand is dampened by a recent ebbing tide

Ev'ry castle that I built I built with humble pride
And when the flooding tide would come, I felt the loss inside

But in time the years went by, upon the sanded beach
A grand new castle I would build beyond the tidal reach

Trip on trip down to the sea brought water to the site
Not once an effort did I spare to build my castle right

When in regal slendor done, I felt a nat'ral pride
For knowing it was safely placed beyond the leathal tide

Guarding it was tough as countless meddlers I repelled
All action that I took by need of safety was compelled

Once I saved it from a dog who romped upon the site
And often turned aside a frisbie's aimless wayward flight

Each attempt I made was great, with care and skill employed
Yet by the constant blowing winds my castle was destroyed

Now I'm back to building simple castles near the waves
And I enjoy them for a while then watch them slip away

Through the years of grief I've learned while playing in the sun
It's building I enjoy and guarding castles is no fun.

- Edna Huber (May 19, 1995)