There was a man I used to fancy

And a woman I admired

Saw them on the beach this morning

Struggling with their crippled child.

Almost too big for them to carry

Lolling heavy in his chair

They lifted high the clumsy carriage

As I tried hard not to stare.

He wore a wet suit and they wheeled him

Deep into the turquoise sea.

They laid him gently on a surf board

Such a moving sight to see.

A wave came and they held him

So he could feel the rise and fall

Of the water underneath him -

Could he feel anything at all?

Such a lucky glamorous couple

I had thought them till today

Now I’ve witnessed their brave struggle

The image will not go away.

So much work to make him happy

So much effort for one smile.

Their trinity, as they surround him

In ocean’s freedom for a while.

summer 2010