Mind And Body

Tumble Polishing

I fled to Margate, to the beach,
all pebbled, unsteady under foot.
Felt finished as a spent breath,

In crisis I crouched down,
let the sea magnify the stones,
focused my mind on what could be found.

The earthy brown jasper
rounded as old shoulders,
warm as grandparents’ hugs.

Absolute white of quartz matched
my bones, never been so exposed,
keeping my soul safe from him.

Brown beach agate conjured up
my parents’ cars, 1970s curtains,
colouring books from childhood, big hands
steadying me on bikes, boards, beaches.

Mind and body back in tune
I turned to face the place
where Dream Land had closed down.