Sandcastles/S. Grim

What a folly, building with sand.
Using water to tamp and mold walls and ramparts,
Envisioning in your head great halls and soaring spires,
In reality, you have to work just to keep the whole thing from crumbling in your hands.
Fighting off the tide, birds, bullies kicking at your work.
Just dig up a little more sand.
Add a little more water.
Smooth out the cracks. Always so many cracks.
Build the walls higher, thicker, stronger.
This time, maybe a moat will do it,
This time, I’ve learned, I’m better at this now.
This time, I’ll keep it all together.
No cracks, no sagging, no sinking, I can stop it.
If I just
I can do it perfect, if the wind didn’t blow so much,
If I had the right tools, not these clumsy child’s playthings.
If my hands didn’t keep slipping and shaking.
This time
If I wasn’t distracted
If I had some help
If I had more time
If I just knew how
If someone would teach me
But, I have to try again.
Because, this time
This time

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S. Grim is the nom de plume of a freshman majoring in English. His interests include movies, cartoons, role-playing games, history, and philosophy.