I wrote this poem as part of the Rotherham Flourish group in summer 2018.
At around this I was asked by a contact in Huddersfield (West Yorkshire) if I had anything to donate for a charity auction.
I thought about this poem and how to present it. I decided to look through my photos from a holiday in Bridlington (on the Yorkshire coast) and found two potential images. I tried them both out and finally settled on the one you see above (poem without image is below).
The poem itself was published in Flourish: Visions and Voices from Rotherham anthology released in September 2018.
Along with the publication of the poem it was sold at auction making £15 for the charity.
I was very pleased that my work had found two homes and that it had raised some money for charity.
Here by the Sea
I could be happy here, by the sea in the sun,
Watching the waves, as they lap at the shore,
Hearing the gulls cry, as they flap lazily by,
The smell of the sea, being carried in on the breeze,
With the heat of the sun, feeling warm on my back,
And the taste of the ice cream, I hold in my hand,
Yes, I could be happy, here by the sea!
I could be happy here, by the sea in the storm,
Watching the wind, as it whips at the waves,
The sound of the thunderous surf, pounding at the sea wall,
The scent of the rain, heavy with Salt,
With the sting of the spray, as it scours my face,
And the taste of hot coffee, when I finally retreat,
Yes, I could be happy, here by the sea!
