The crystal sea, hypnotic, water, clear and calm,
Waves gently lapping on golden sand,
Soft cool breezes, soothing, as a healing balm,
A panorama of excellence so grand.
Beyond this calm facade, lurk dangers of the deep,
Box fish, stingrays and shark,
In the shallow water, our children we keep,
Watching them play happy as a lark.
The sea it changes, quickly becomes rough,
Breakers pound relentlessly upon the beach,
A surfboard rider’s dream, but oh so tough,
Some, far too dangerous to reach.
Girls relaxing, listen to the ocean roar,
Lovers holding hands, stroll along the beach,
Watching enormous waves crash upon the shore,
Mesmerized, but staying out of reach.
A desperate cry of ‘Help!’ echoes through the air,
A girl caught in a rip, in distress,
Lifeguard quickly alerted, scrambles from his chair,
Grasping his board, the rescue a success.
He’s gone! The gate is open once more,
Nyree frantically searches all around,
Sam, only three, loves the sandy shore,
She’s desperate, needs her boy found.
The rolling, crashing, pounding, of the tumultuous waves,
Surfing, for the young adventurous few,
Dragged from the breakers, Sam, his plight is grave,
His face already turned a vivid blue.
Nyree, a nurse, her passion, her career,
Through her nursing, had learnt what to do,
She resuscitated him, using CPR and a prayer,
Her life-saving skills are what pulled him through.
Sam’s a little older, a young man and much braver,
Had attended “Little Nippers’ on weekends,
Learnt how to swim, became a surf lifesaver,
Patrolling beaches now with his new friends.
Hilda Oakley
Copyright © 14.12.2010
