She Body Surfed at 70

Tanned arms overhead, arched like a dancer,

She gauged the height and strength of the wave,

The swell rose, she kicked into the curl,

And with a swoosh of water and foam.

She glided to shore, emitting an exuberant yelp,

Looking left and right for us, the “kids,”

For her brothers, for her husband and soulmate.

Few of us shared that timing to catch the cusp

The way she could, the innate knowledge and rhythm.

As she skidded into the sand, she smiled and laughed,

And turned back to the breakers for another ride,

Always another ride, another ride, another ride,

Until the sun set. Now I find myself bereft,

A struggle to accept the eternal enormity

Of the waves, of the world, without her.