An early morning dog walk on the beach

With just a gull aloft the chill North wind.

Above the stony slope his plaintive screech

Cutting through the biting gusts in ears and mind.

Rattling pebbles rushing out to sea beneath

The silver-lipped, blue green swell of the Swale.

Seaweed left behind coiled in shimmering wreaths

In memory of last night’s thundering gale.

Scarcely shifting shape to surf the breeze,

Peering side to side in search of food,

The gull’s unruffled, glides with ease

Bright white against the brilliant blue.

This is why we live here, this is why

We hold the gift of life beneath this sky.