next time let's bring lemonade

the ocean at once feels like home and like an alien terrain.

beautiful today to lie in the sun and feel wet sand in my toes. watching seagulls and sandpipers dodging the surf. hoping no one steps on the blue, pillowy man-of-war.

I lounged on a beach towel reading lovingly feminist literature that has to do with all of us.

usually I lprefer to find a spot on the beach all to myself. to meditate, and honestly to ward off the self-consciousness that comes about from the donning of a bikini. not that I'm unattractive or unhealthy, but I called a friend as soon as I got my clothes back on. "convince me not to go on a diet" I said, and she compassionately obliged.

"where else can you do this?" someone asks me as I stagger saltily back to my folks' house. I'm vaguely confused by the question but wholeheartedly agree with the appreciation.