Celestial Experience Poem by Margaret Alice

You bought me a Speedo, with a yellow stripe,
I changed into a mermaid in the sea today, a
dwarf in the old swimsuit and a ship’s mast-
head in the new one, it was heaven throwing
myself backwards over the waves

We drove into Durban and I tried to recognize
Beachcombers where Anne-Marie, Helena and
I stayed - second-year students after working
all December in the post-office - I couldn’t find
it with all the street name changes

Today was one big celestial experience, I DO love
Kwa-Zulu Natal, we found Tiaan’s missing glasses,
Nici’s missing purse and hubby’s credit card, also
bought No.50 water-resistant sun lotion for sen-
sitive skin; saw a phantom ship, jelly-fish

Snakes and dolphins; then I dived into the sea - no
more playing spectator, watching the sea’s foaming
washing machine - this time riding the waves, floating
on champagne bubbles, the way life ought to be,
South Coast Illovo beach becoming

Heaven on earth…