Without warning, a large whale
broke the quiet ocean
in an arc near the shoreline
that skimmed so low,
so close to the beach,
people waiting for the sunset
released an involuntary “Oh…”
in fear and wonder
at what felt to me an omen,
a message from the deep,
that silenced them for an instant
before it slid back into the waves
As quickly, the conch shells sounded,
cheers and whistles for the horizon
of orange, red and gold from
the onlookers, excited talk,
nervous laughter at what
they had just seen
Some still in swimsuits laid
back on their towels,
others dressed for dinner
stood in small groups
flourishing cocktails
with a new story to tell
The whale gone,
darkness creeping in
I thought “no,” not yet,
not for a long while yet