To Be A Child

To Be A Child

To be a child is to:

run with joy to the edge of the sea 

and take the plunge without worrying it's too cold;

to dig, dig, dig down into the sand 

because you want to dig a hole 

and what else could matter more right now?

To be a child is to:

slip and slide down a sandy dune

then run straight up again to slide right back down;

to create pictures in the sand 

that the sea will soon swallow,

leaving space for tomorrow's art.

To be a child is to:

search for treasure on the shoreline

in the form of stones, shells and drift wood;

to take these treasures home and admire them,

enjoy them and turn them into stories about 

carefree, adventurous, fun filled days.