Vanity Fathoms

We sculpt the sand: in toil, sculpted selves.

Now come together to anoint castles

Where the tide overruns all walls,

In sand whose grains star my skin and grace

his, His blue scoop blisters my long grip.

My son pats the pool undoing our work—

This is only a moat, we see.

Sculptures unmade, we are made to sculpt.

This bent trowel we share meets the

Meaningless beach where citadels pass,

To dig and fill and dig the sea;

We enjoy our toil here, my son and I.

I build him a pool with a seat

In joy, his plump hands sand-dappled,

patting. Forever, sculpted: sculptors, ever.

issue: Toil
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