I watch a little crab a'crawling <br />Along the briny sand of an abandoned beach <br />His footprints are so fragile and quite fleeting <br />Obliterated soon by wind and rising tide <br /> <br />I look down at my feet and hands now idle <br />While in my mind a thousand thoughts create <br />Word castles of great import and quite worthy <br />Not ready yet to be set down or seen <br /> <br />And then I ponder tracks of that small creature <br />Whose purpose is much smaller than is mine <br />Yet he is busy living his intention <br />By making marks to celebrate his day <br /> <br />A crashing wave now washes out the traces <br />Of trails and scratches made by seaside life <br />I jump up to avoid its drenching <br />Run quickly home to pen a line or two <br /> <br />I'd rather write a mediocre poem <br />Than leave that perfect epic in that cave <br />Of hallowed thoughts and concepts undeveloped <br />Because the work is not yet flawless or precise <br /> <br />I'd rather scribble transitory ditties <br />A gentle verse recorded on the wing <br />Of unremembered dragonflies in breezes <br />Of little consequence or import to the world <br /> <br />I'd rather chronicle a cipher with no cadence <br />Recording textures of a gritty sea oats stalk <br />Instead of planning mighty contemplations <br />Not to be penned till all the t's are crossed <br /> <br />For when I finally roll up my parchment <br />And fold my hands to form a final prayer <br />I'll be assured my pale imperfect musings <br />Have left a path of scribbles on the sand <br /> <br />I watch a little crab a crawling <br />Along the briny sand of a forgotten beach <br />His footprints are so fragile and quite fleeting <br />Obliterated soon by wind and rising tide.<br /><br />Liilia Talts Morrison<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/scribbles-on-the-sand/
