Tide Charts And Sun Tables

in an evening dream I dreamed of Grandmother

that I took her to the seaside 

we went down an almost vertical path

with one bicycle between us

only one of us will need the bicycle 

I said as if this were common sense

she seemed out of place

as though I had moved her 

by virtue of the dream

from her accustomed spot 

at the window of Heaven

as though she were a fussy plant

although redeemed

nevertheless, we descended

just before the seaside

there was an area of colorful flower beds

each bed a solid color

it blazed like  Van Gogh's tulip fields

only, as Grandmother would have said 

in real life, like a too well manicured lawn

pink and indigo and blue blue the color of deep violets

in the woods and cream and I thought fleetingly

how lovely to ride in between all the flowers

we will later on

and then we went and watched some tv

all arts channels

she was taciturn I was upset

I brought you here so we could talk

because I thought you would like it here

but as in many dreams she said no word

and suddenly we were by the sea

gentle waves and I thought

whoever made these dream arrangements

has put us far too close to the edge  I thought with alarm

Grandmother Im going up to check when the high tide comes in

and I ran up quickly the vertical ascent being simple

and woke up before I could find the tide charts

and the sun tables of that eternity

only knowing

we must not drown

mary angela douglas 13 october 2021