Into the sea

her hands smoothed
the corners of his face,
his skin tan and weathered;
her lips rasy and crisp
against his cheek,
tears gathered
and one wilted across her own cheek.

then they exploded
like wildfire
warm and bitter,
searching for the laugh lines,
haunting them
just for holding his memory.

he opened his eyes,
the green still alive and aching.
there are no more dreams
where boats once sailed
and long gone
still he remembers the sond
of that precious laughter

and it echoed in the
distance between them.