On the Beach in Banderas Bay

a poem, written on my first trip to Vallarta, Mexico in March 2004. Since we're going back there, I figured it would be appropriate. We leave tomorrow and I can't wait to leave this horrible freezing weather.

On the Beach in Banderas Bay

Hot sand squeezes between

my toes, polished bright pink,

as sweat trickles

slowly down the small

of my back.

I stand, watching watery blue

meet sky at the horizon--

a straight line even as the wind

comes up, creating rolling waves

and cooling sun burnt skin

that I'll later smear with saving aloe.

I push my imitation Oakley's--

only 100 pesos--

further up my nose

and wade into deceptively

warm water--

engulfing myself into

the essence of

'relaxing vacation'

as time slides by unmarked.

Are there even hands on the

clocks in Mexico?