Parched Ocean

(El Paso news: French couple dies at White Sands, boy survives)

Grains grated, gathered
sands stood still, watchers
of time passing
of motion slowing
of heat radiating
energy, hot, too hot
wide white hot
expanses too dry
to cross, too lonely.
Too feeble
to call for help
for her, for him.

North, South
unformed, unabashed.
East, West
ocean waves crashed
passion passed
motionless.

The child lives,
gone,
nowhere to go.
Now just
a ghost – muted,
morose, empty –
stirs the sands in
the frozen ocean
of death.