Photo by Christopher Raley

Family Selfie

All day wind swept sand
against driftwood, and now
sand drapes over them like sheets.

The setting sun casts relief
in long shadows, and we sit
on a log while Ray attempts,

with noise, to make sand angels
and Charles walks back up
the beach like a shadow.

As the sun nears the bluff, I think:
I’ve not written enough about
happiness or contentment.

So when the sun disappears
I gather us together,
demand we shed irony,

and take a family selfie.
You can still see the lost sun
glowing on our faces.

Photo by Christopher Raley