rip

mouth spitting out 

salty water

feet already beneath

the sand

lost dreams swept back and forth

never to settle never

to reform

unless mangroves bind them

bring them back to life

if deposited

still at the mercy of the wind

the waves

already clawing them back

waves push hard against the chest

if the undercurrent secret lover

of the moon finds the wind

and the time of day favourable

it has the power to haul the feet

out of the sand

drag the body away

ignores the hand that struggles to wave

quickly fills the throat to steal

the voice no

cries for help

another whole

broken down

 grit

and memory for those on the shore

stranded

their voices to record

the horror

though water and wind 

heed not