july river 31

family dinner
as night falls we rattle
a few skeletons

july river 30

the first ice-cream,
because he's a guest,
the 4-year-old tells me

july river 29

remembering who we are
as the sun goes down
we swap stories around the table

july river 28

unexpected gifts
the paddling pool deeper
after the storm

july river 27

all day rain
the edges of the playing cards
start to curl

july river 26

evening swim
the sea saltier
in the losing light

july river 25

a moment alone
I read my book
in the paddling pool

july river 24

Sunday morning:
a queue at the bakery
then sandcastles
and tiny silver fish
darting in the shallows.

Some days open to us
effortlessly.

july river 23

the distance between us
I watch my step-daughter's plane
start to descend

july river 22

rotisserie chicken
I walk back
towards the scent

july river 21

beach beggar
her little girl
trickles sand
between her fingers

july river 20

the tiny waists
of girls in bikinis

the boys dive
into the waves

july river 19

thunder clap
I think about
the promises
he won't keep

july river 18

time to go home
a little boy fills up
his Crocs with sand

july river 17

the wind picks up
beneath dark clouds
the sea takes on
the colour of petrol

and now the rain

each day this week
summer has turned
against itself, as if it has
forgotten its own name

july river 16

the sea as clear as light this morning

a little girl stands under the beach shower
and opens her mouth

a rose tattoo
above a woman's right buttock

I step around the pebbles on the sea-bed

july river 15

the sound of children
playing in the garden
and the house sings

july river 14

Bastille Day
a boy on the beach
tramples his sandcastle

july river 13

a young girl turns
cartwheels in the shallows

the waves break short
like a splash of applause

july river 12

sunset
the fisherman's silhouette
edged with light