Coming Out to Play
My teachers always tell me
if the waves wash round my shins,
with the mass retreat of deckchairs,
that the Sea has ventured in,
but I think if Sea could answer,
we'd be taught a different way,
after honest declaration
'No, I'm coming out to play
and when sandcastle moats run dry,
when toes turn wrinkle free,
I'll be back again tomorrow,
Neptune's called me in for tea'.
if the waves wash round my shins,
with the mass retreat of deckchairs,
that the Sea has ventured in,
but I think if Sea could answer,
we'd be taught a different way,
after honest declaration
'No, I'm coming out to play
and when sandcastle moats run dry,
when toes turn wrinkle free,
I'll be back again tomorrow,
Neptune's called me in for tea'.
This poem is copyright (©) Lawrence Moore 2026
About the Writer
Lawrence Moore
Lawrence writes from a loft study overlooking the coastal city of Portsmouth where he lives with his husband Matt and nine mostly well behaved cats. His poems have appeared in, among others, Sarasvati, Fevers of the Mind, Feral Poetry and The Madrigal. He has a new poetry collection, The Breadcrumb Trail, published by Jane's Studio Press in March 2024.
