Seaside Cottage Poem by Siona DoyleMcLaughlin

A little cottage by the sea
Oh! A wondrous place to be.
A simple structure with wooden walls
Beyond the tumbling ocean calls
Beaded-board and wainscoting white
A well-worn floor from sandals’ delight
Peeling paint and distressed old wood
I wouldn’t change it if I could
Two small beds in corners musty
Rays of sunshine pierce air so dusty
A kitchen table with simple chairs
And a sagging sofa beyond repair
In the kitchen so small and quaint
A rusty can with dried up paint
Simple and plain yet very snug
Hues of blue and a lighthouse rug
Windows with vistas of sparkling blue
A nice long porch with a hammock too
A simple shanty with all I need
My four-legged friend and I are pleased
Outside awaits the distant beach
A sandy path cuts through grasses deep
Seagulls cry and circle the shore
Over the ocean’s constant roar
What’s that? In the distance I mean-
It’s a lighthouse with a very faint beam!
The sun is setting and dusk descends
But my elation doesn’t end
I inhale the heavy salty air
And return inside my little lair
And set about retiring to bed
With images of the seashore in my head
But as I’m set to close my eyes
Another lonely seagull cries.


(April/2007)