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| Photo: Cape May, NJ, by Hannah Six |
Summer surprised the pretty shore
Rustling like tumbled velvet
Filling cottages, roads, and sand
Crowding up the little station
After breakfast, tourists appeared,
Dutifully marching beachward,
Arms filled with coolers and bright towels,
Claiming the same spots every morning.
The sun climbed higher in the sky,
Parents and children chafed,
Arms full, they soon retreated inland,
Dripping ice cream on the sidewalks.
Late afternoon, clean and revived,
They emerged again to eat
Booking restaurants and filling up bars,
Then going to bed early and watching TV.
After a week of sun and sand,
Growing restless and bored,
They paid their inn bills and headed home,
Leaving behind old receipts and brochures.
The siege continued for three long months,
Leaving the whole town weak,
As summer ended they sighed with relief,
And closed up most of the kitschy boutiques.
Soon, winter enveloped the pretty shore,
Windy, bitter, and cold.
The people wrapped up in their woolen coats
And rejoiced in their empty beach.
(c) 2017, by Hannah Six
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