AGAINST THE TIDE

by Earl J. Wilcox


Beach walking today--shifting sands impressionable
     under my feet---I see two women Marines strolling,

holding hands, USMC stamped on black tees taut
     against their chests, a slight breeze ruffling the air.

Following at a short distance, I take fright when a middle
     finger is flashed in their faces by a jeering jogger,

though other beach loungers ignore the pair. The women
     face straight ahead, march like good Marines, smile

at toddlers building castles in the sand where
     grandpas play Corn Hole, grandmas read Romances.


Earl J. Wilcox writes about aging, baseball, literary icons, politics, and southern culture. His work appears in more than two dozen journals; he is a regular contributor to The New Verse News. More of Earl's poetry appears at his blog, Writing by Earl.
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