When beach empties of
Italian beauties and the sea
trembles glower grey,
when the women sit on prayer mat
with offerings of flowers food and incense:
and the fishermen standing thigh high in undulating
coral water, unlock their floats, place catch in
basket: a butterfly moves from fronded branch
a light rain falls, then all returns to calm.
Here the sand a palette of crushed coral
and the dogs are digging at some deep hidden fodder
with the children playing naked
in salt water and far out beyond the reef
the breakers glitter, tossed white water
it’s only then, that paradise begins to breathe.