THE BALLET OF THE DUNE GRASS
By Rodney Rountree
Circa 1985
(Poem #18 from "Poem Time Capsule")
Waves crash in mighty splendor
On a lonely beach below a star filled sky.
Haunting stars, that promise from far away.
They twinkle softly, like the sparkle in lover's eyes.
And the splashing waves repeat their endless sighs,
Echoed by the moaning wind.
The moon sadly lights the midnight beach.
And from each ripple of the frowning waves,
Glistening, distorted moonbeams reflect
Their sorrow and frustration.
Bits and fragments of seashells tumble in the surf,
The remnants of former shells,
Perhaps the Glory-of-the-Seas or the common clam,
All carelessly intermixing and tossing about.
The moon seems a spotlight on a sandy stage
As the wind sings a sad song,
Accompanied by the drumming of crashing waves
And the rattling of tumbling shells.
It sings of love it has never known,
Of warm and splashing eyes,
And swiftly fluttering hearts.
The ballet of the dune grass,
Tells of an aching known only to the lonely.
The grass gently sways with the breeze,
Brushing together in a tender mock of a warm caress,
While the rustling leaves imitate the soft, hesitant,
Breath of two lovers in their first embrace.
Sea foam leaps from the clasp of a wave
And is caught by the swirling breeze.
Like a ballerina it dances along the shore,
Twirling and leaping before the wind.
Lightly, she teases the breeze
And together they dance to the rhythm of the beach.
From behind a dune a ghost crab scurries across the sand,
Moving in short, quick bursts of activity
Before crouching in a pause.
His movements seem to mix with the rustling leaves,
The wind and water, as if part of a silent play.
The stage is full of sounds and colors,
But there is no one to see or hear,
Only the actors. . .
Abruptly, as if to listen,
Silence and stillness comes over the scene.
From far off a sound of laughter drifts by.
In a moment, a pair of figures are seen strolling
Along the water's edge.
Hand-in-hand they walk, talking in muffled voices
Which seem to resonate across the waves.
The plaintiff, wistful wind again begins to sing,
But now a quiet serenade.
The breeze becomes a cool caress,
And the couple moves closer together.
One-by-one the actors join in.
The waves rush towards the shore in a hypnotic rhythm,
And the rustling leaves whisper into uncertain ears,
Hinting softly of promises to come,
While moonlight baths the beach in gently tones,
Which dulls even the hard lines of the scattered rocks.
With a gasp of delight the pair gaze at a shooting star
Before continuing on their way.
And as they disappear in the distance,
The moonlight catches a motion in the shadow of a dune.
A pair of gleaming eyes are trust up through the sand,
And a newly hatched young turtle begins its race to the sea.
The meaning of the play is clear,
Though many do not see.
Love brings joy and harmony to all who are near,
And gives meaning to the beauty of nature.