Journey of an Organic Marble

I stood on the beach yesterday, and watched beams from the setting sun
filter through the smog-filled air and cause the sea to glint in welcome.
Squishing my toes in the sand, I waited for the surf to send its fingerlings of foam
rushing toward my legs; then watched as the tide was forced to retreat
smiling as I heard it hiss in displeasure as it left me behind.

I watched the gulls pick at the kelp left stranded by the tide,
sorted through my own snack: red grapes, firm and juicy
that burst in flavor upon my tongue with a slight "pop" as they gave way,
their soft flesh melting down my throat, leaving crunchy skin behind.

I wanted to throw a handful of grapes into the air in jubilation
to celebrate life, glory in the sea's scent, dive into the waves.
But I was hungry, and my grapes were few, so instead, I threw one...
a solitary sphere, that didn't pass the texture test
and watched as it sailed in the air and landed without a splash:

the organic marble tumbled pell-mell toward me, dancing
driven by the wind and tide, its progress was quick, unhindered
till the waves' grip failed--left it bereft, alone, upon the shore.

It lay there, sad and lonely, quite red amidst the cooling sand
like a lady whose eyes endlessly sweep the skyline, watching
for the ship carrying her sailor love to hove into view.

But fate deemed she was not to wait: not one, but two waves emerged,
and raced toward the preening grape and tossed and swirled and jostled
she rolled and danced, but did not choose, and selfish were her motives.

The waves got bored, and couldn't wait--their retreat call soon sounded
and she, who tried to play two beaus, was scorned and pushed far ashore
the grape was left, quite high and dry, to contemplate her actions.