Community Pentecostal

By: Isabel Didrickson

Santa Cruz

He succeeds,
Rising on the face
Of the blue-green wall.

The gray-blue ocean
Met the misty blue sky,
I detected no movement

Closer to shore,
I saw a gradual swell.
Gently it rose and fell
Gliding towards its destination.

Eager youths, in the water
Watch with me. Waiting, waiting
For the perfect, precise moment.
The edge.

They paddle wildly, then
try to balance on the board.
Underneath the canopy
Of curling water,
Gliding for a brief moment
Along the wall, until
Billows of white foam
Obliterate the body.

At the same time
I hear
the roar
Of the breaking wave
Enveloping my senses
With its grandeur.

The foam floods to the shore
Fills my shoes.
I dash for higher ground
The water retreats.
Leaving bits of debris
From unknown places.

For several minutes
I gaze as more waves
Break and roar.
The force of the water
Is tremendous, but yet
It only comes so far.
We both know our boundaries.

Isabel Didriksen
2003

By: Isabel Didricksen
Santa Cruz

Gray-blue ocean
Meets misty blue sky
No movement detected
Across the great expanse

Nearer
A gradual swell
Rises then falls
As it glides to the shore

Eager youth
Watches with me
Waiting, waiting
For a perfect edge

Paddling wildly
He succeeds
Rising on the face
Of a green wall.

For a brief moment
Under the canopy
Of curling water
He sails

Along the wall
then
Billows of white foam
Obliterate him

In an instant
The roar
Of breaking waves
Envelop my senses

Foam floods in
Filling my shoes
I dash for higher ground
Water retreats

More waves
Break and roar
But yet
Only come so far

We both know our boundaries.

Isabel Didriksen
2009