Halcyon

the sea that stayed

lavender short frock,
a beautiful beach dress,
wading into the sea,
at first it was just water.
how does something,
arrive ankle-deep,
pretending it wouldn't stay,
and then keep returning?

the salt breeze on my lips.
and the wind in my hair,
how is it that the shoreline,
never got accustomed to your
presence ever?
and every instant,
of our waves,
felt like snow on the beach?

but, there was nothing else,
i could ever do,
because the sand didn't know,
it would be rewritten.
the sandcastles no longer crumbled,
because the tides had learnt
to stay for once, and not flood.

how can a simple presence,
make the sea look eager?
sunlight skipping through waves,
isn't it just so pretty
that i thought of you the very
minute i saw the ocean?
the waves asked, they didn't take,
and maybe, for once,
that made all the difference.

then one fine day,
the tide changed.
the water stopped retreating.
i realised the sea
was no longer visiting,
it was staying.

and, by the time I noticed the depth,
I was already swimming.