Vibrations

Altona was a town on the beach.
It was on a plain not far from the You Yangs.
The You Yangs a few million years ago was a large
Volcano.
We lived on the land reclaimed from the bay.
A great sea wall cradled our houses from the stormy
waters.
Regular storms made the waves crash over the sea
wall, and lapped into our yards.
The wind blew from the south pole.
Every morning, a green fishing boat would chug away
from the pier, to go out for the day’s catch.
At night the beach was dotted with torches.
These nights people were looking for flounder.
When I was sick, I would secretly go to the beach with
no clothes on.
The fog horns from the passing tankers came from
clusters of mysterious lights.
I imagined that these lights were the vessels from a
magic place across the bay.
My sisters said that she could see Tasmania Sometimes.
These sounds would vibrate through me.
The white sand, the fog horns, and the empty coke
cans drove out my sickness.
The next morning I would always be better . . .
The beach was always alive.