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The Sunday Poem: Ben Moffett... Beach Ball!

This short and playful piece is not for the prudish. But warm weather is the time for swimming and watching the bare-skinned beautiful people. Here in Albuquerque there is no swimming except for city pools. And there are no beaches since Tingley Beach was closed to swimming decades ago. Still we can imagine...or smile as we remember...another time, another town, another full moon.

DCF member Ben Moffett lives in the far south valley and works at UNM. His interests include history, the outdoors, and the Lobos.

Beach Ball!

Girl. Boy. Swim suits
Picnic basket, full of fruits.

Beach ball. Full moon.
Sand. Surf. Rock tune.

Kewpie Doll, Teddy Bear.
Sand in toes, wind in hair.
Swim, dance, toss ball.
Horse play. Crash. Fall.

Boy, girl sans suits
Taste each others fruits.
Two melons, cherry treat,
One banana, cut neat.

Kewpie Doll, Teddy bare.
Toes in sand, feet in air
Undulate to rock tune.
Beach ball! Full môôn!

--2004 Ben Moffett

Tags: moffett, poems

0 members like this

Comment by cc on May 17, 2009 at 9:41am: Love this!
Ben Moffett, you're a rhythm-loving poet, too?
Nothing like a poem to capture/give tribute to a moment in time, eh?

Comment by Adelita on May 17, 2009 at 11:55am: Ben, this just makes me smile! I love it.

Comment by ABQSkippy on May 17, 2009 at 8:52pm: Well done, my friend. Full of great imagery!

Comment by Ben Moffett on May 18, 2009 at 7:09am: First, thanks to the Ditch Rider for providing and laying out the remarkable historic pictures of Tingley Beach that provide the local perspective that DCF demands, and also for providing the cautionary text. As may be evident, I am not truly a poet, but a word tinkerer, fond of puns and double entendres. To each of you that wrote: CC, unfortunately I have seldom been to a beach, so this is not the re-creation of a personal experience. I love your thinking, but my life has more often been spent on West Mesa overlooks, perhaps you can relate to that, or in arroyos, as Prairie Girl suggests. Prairie Girl, prickly "pairs" and arroyos can be fun, too. Sounds like you've had experience with same. Uncle Jess, I know from checking out your website -- you live at the end of a long dirt road and have at times played in the dirt. I'm glad to have made your day. Skippy, I liked your comment. "Imagery" is what I was striving for or something akin to that. And thanks. Adelita, you always have nice things to say but, looking at your profile, I believe you are too young to play in the sand, sans parental supervision. Thanks to all. You made my day, and I will return to what I do best -- lurking.

Comment by cc on May 18, 2009 at 7:22am: Ben - coulda fooled me - you got that rhythm down. But if you don't wanna be called a pote - that's okay. I unnerstan.

And I agree with you Prairie Girl - and yes, Ben - I can relate to arroyos - been there! Some day I'll share a pome I wrote about dirt.

Comment by dolores on May 18, 2009 at 9:08am: Ben You dog you. So it seems you know a few things besides growing potatoes. Way to go.

Comment by Prairie Girl on May 18, 2009 at 8:25pm: Awww Ben, I think I hear the beginnings of your next poem....prickly "pairs" ...might be found right there in the dry arroyo.