I walked on the beach today

and this is what I saw:

*

A young woman throwing a ball into the waves

for her dog to chase,

and another dog running breathlessly

into the water

to chase it too.

I saw a little girl walking on tiptoes

into the sea.

I saw two people working together

to build a huge sand castle

out of gloopy sand.

And I saw this

perfect little seashell

and I picked it up.

*

And this is how I know

we will not be beaten.

*

Because the forces of darkness

cannot make a perfect seashell.

The forces of darkness

don’t make dogs happy.

The forces of darkness don’t care about sand castles,

AT ALL.

And the forces of darkness will never,

EVER,

be able to stop little girls

from wanting to walk on tiptoe

into the sea.