Sandcastles

Sally Swatland, “Sand Castle Day.”

blue sky

an ocean

and a sandcastle

a young boy

and a dream

of ten silver knights

and one golden lord

with his back draped

in a purple 

billowing cape 

that sways in

the wind,

he takes the mast 

wielding pure

victory 

in one hand 

and his mouth held 

aghast to the battle 

of a sea that lay before him

his eyes were opals 

against the doom 

but to the tan sand he faded

his skin melted

away his bones

melted away

and at the end of the slaughter

a puddle of sand

lay at the boy’s feet

his dreams 

making kingdoms

between his ankles

with the remnants

of past lives  

sinking for the sea

bound to search tides

till it comes

time again

for another lord

another dream 

another sandcastle