Remembrance for Regisford
(Rockaway Beach c.1948)
for a single minute the sun went
behind a single cloud in an
otherwise cloudless sky
refuge in cold-no-longer drinks
and tunafish sandwiches
wrapped in something called wax
paper/ which did nothing to
protect against sand & blowing
wind-dust
colored towels and rubber shoes
lined the shade made by the
orange & blue umbrella
the cooler dripping sweat took
advantage of it too cloth chairs
that folded had been dragged the
two streets to the beach / through
deep sand
and blowing chairs weighing
more than several of their young
sitters were lined
in order of importance with the
pater familia in the center all
others branching out from him
children screamed an old radio
with batteries carried a ball game
interrupted by static and
imbedded sand a grandma
picked through
the cooler for a sandwich for the
babies and from the great blue
ocean came a dripping uncle +
laughing older cousin
Zadie held peter upright using a
hand in a hand for balance while
both
their hats kept away the sun-
shine they came for but
dreaded…
