A Walk on Tybee Island

We walked together, on cold, packed sand
Salt air, turbulent crash, sky streaked
Pink, gold, orange, light melting into
The darkness of the horizon's floor
I ran into the cresting swell, knees buckling as
They jostled me
Down into a tumble and
Backward into your arms
As we laughed and screamed
Young and simple and unaffected, yet
Shy underneath the raw gestures of flirtation
Unsure
Rather than unafraid
As the light and color faded into a time of night when
Green waters turned gray
They called to us to stop our game and
Come inside to dry off and change our wet clothes
Scolding us and shaming us
To keep us from crossing a line too soon
We parted there, our hands separating
I think I remember that I knew even then that
I would not feel that way again, the feeling of
Excitement and uncertainty, yet
Safety and confidence that
You were the one that I wanted to walk with, there
On Tybee, where we never walked again together
Or met to ask questions, seek answers, or share one single,
Salted kiss.