Laughing, the guys down at the beach challenged
Me to poeticize our Ocean Walk—
As ribald a concourse as ever plunged
Along a shore—lined with savage gawkers.
And why not! Remember that tendency,
In the mind’s eye (whatever that might be),
To strip the clothes off certain women, see
Them (imagined) cavorting, fancy free!
Add, from the passing mob, the head-perched birds,
The python, coiled and menacing, the dogs
Decked out in chic regalia, the words
Whined by skate-borne, turbaned Harry. Joggers,
Ubiquitous, prancing both south and north.
Nervous tourist crocodiles, bus-spawned hordes,
Gaze from side to side, searching, sally forth
Yearning to have their lives strummed, feel bright chords
Of startling rich experience—T-shirts
For sale are mostly what they see, along
With hotdogs, cokes and fries, while some avert
Their eyes from creased and bulbous thong clad throngs,
Insouciant, unruly herds, hippos—
In mind’s eye, stunned, we cover them with clothes!
(7/6/08)