bare feet and balance

Bare feet and balance 
with eyes turned down, the child steps 
from sandy beach 

out and carefully along 
a bleached grey log as long and rough 
as ancient trees it must have known,

or might have been 
in younger age. 

Before the fall 
into the sea, and all its days 

Spent travelling. 
Before some storm rode high and pitched 
it up this beach, then drew away. 
And left it half buried in dunes, and half 
a place for kids to play.