Seascapes II

A  CERAMIC  TILE

A brilliant blue sky beach.
A rocky bank crowned with
blazing crimson flowered trees.
Two dinghies upended on the sterns
against that rocky bank.
Children playing on the sand
at the edge of the lapping
aquamarine wavelets
splashing to and fro.

The old man stared at this scene
from his faraway homeland
painted on the framed tile
given him by a niece visiting him
after many years’ separation
from siblings he had
willingly left behind.
Now home to him was more
than those siblings as
homesickness filled him.

He clutched that tile tightly
as his children and grandchildren
celebrated his milestone birthday,
telling each  one of his childhood
memories of the beach near
the home of his large family.

They saw his homesickness,
kept at bay into old age
now shoeing in his joy
in this little piece of home.

Originally posted 14 February 2016