Paradise Bay

I remember my aunt had a VW van

With endless energy and dreams.

I remember it often carried us then

to far away places it drove

the small island’s bumpy roads

Strangely that may seem.

And one early summer’s morning

My aunt invited us

To the seaside I recall

Herself at the drivers seat

Her hands held tightly at

The largest steering wheel

Almost the size of a bus driver’s own

And uphill she drove us to the north

Until we arrived at the village square

Almost an hour on the road

And then she turned right to drive us down the winding hill

It was here I spotted a long sandy beach

Wishing desperately we would stop

I saw uniform umbrellas unfolded whilst

Waiting for those who would adventure soon

To play, to swim, to sea

She drove us on, now the long road, narrow and straight

And soon enough at Paradise Bay

With the VW van door open wide

The picnic table across by the side

Loaf of bread, tomatoes, tuna and oil

And some hard boiled eggs perhaps I recall

My mother ready with sun tan oil

But I was too eager, I wouldn’t wait

And in the sea I ran and jumped in!

It was here we camped and swam and ate

I remember I had my own bucket and spade

And my father usually carried a knife

On the hunt for the spiky sea urchins

Hidden tightly by his side

And yet these creatures managed to catch me

pierce my heel and make me scream!

My parents, my aunt and uncle

My cousins, perhaps my brothers too

The day was long and hot and thirsty

And our shoulders had caught the sun

And the sea salt sparkled on our skin

I was perhaps four or five or six

I cannot be sure why the day had ended like it did

But I remember an argument had ensured

And my wooden spade was broken in two

Caught up in the anger and the rage

Not mine, my cousin’s, what upset him

No one would ever recall

But my day ended in tears,

This much I can be sure!

Amazing how memories surface out of context, or perhaps there's always a tenuous link to tigger a memory, a story from the past. I wrote the first draft to this poem during my flight to Malta in April 2023. I have a vague recollection of events, perhaps it was Paradise Bay we went on our holiday, or perhaps some other beach on the island, this I cannot be sure, but I do recall returning home in tears with a broken spade, snapped in half during a rage, during the drive back home!