Pictures of palm trees
of blue water, white sand
The warm air holding your skin,
cradling you out of the water
just as the waves cradle you within.

Strong body, weakened by sadness, by stress
tired of the trauma of day to day.
Sun-soaked skin peeking out,
and cowering under the umbrella
hoping to be seen
hoping to be invisible.

Conversations like broken glass
Beautiful and glittering in the tropical sun
Held loosely so as not to cut
newly healed hands
reaching out, resting in
the whispers of faint hopes
and guarded dreams.

Pictures of palm trees
their shushing, their shaking
In the wind; in the rain
as the rivers rise and
we take refuge, together, from the storm.