I awaken.
Lying in the warmth of the bed
I orient myself to the strange room.
I snuggle in with satisfaction.
I am at the beach.
I am alone.
The sliding glass door
Off the balcony is cracked.
Ocean waves slough softly.
The air has a sweet smell
In addition to the salt.
I breathe more deeply
Testing the smell.
Sweet with salt?
Out of the bed and into my robe
And slippers.
I open the balcony door completely
And step outside.
It is snowing.
I stand and watch the flakes
Hurrying down to nestle on the sand.
Flakes gather on my hair
My robe
My hands and face.
Snow and ocean.
Sweet and salt.
Back into the room
And I rush to put on my clothing
And down jacket, gloves, and hat.
I grab the door key and out
Into the night.
No one is around.
I cross the sand and
Go to the edge of the surf.
Black waves, white foam
Dark sand, white snow.
I wave my arms and jump up and down.
Snow snow snow snow!
Ocean snow ocean snow!
I laugh and hold my face to the sky.
Flakes settle on my skin, my glasses.
I stick out my tongue and taste snow.
I walk along the edge.
Because of my boots,
I walk close enough
For water to touch me.
Snow and surf.
Snow and sand.
Darkness to my left.
Hotels barely lit to my right.
After awhile, I turn and head back.
Shells on the sand
Are fuzzy with snow.
Snow melts on the sand.
I turn back to the surf.
The flakes are falling faster,
Disappearing into the blackness
Of the ebbing waves.
I stand until my face is numb
And my nose runs with the cold.
I hold out my hands to collect
Flakes on my gloves.
They stay long enough for me to
Fall in love with each one
And then they disappear.
kanzen sakura 