The horizon

The horizon

It’s a photo of a little girl
putting her toe in the water.

She smiles up at the camera
from beneath a lock of brown hair.
A happy smile. She’s enjoying
the excitement of the seaside.

Brightly lit, the sky above her
pale blue, the few white clouds
only slightly tinged with grey.

She shows a certain caution,
still wearing her anorak,
purple with pink spots,
fuzzy hood down on her shoulders.

But she’s adventurous enough
to roll up her trouser legs
and paddle in the shallows,
testing the waters.

Eddies round her ankles,
the gentle tug of the tide
between her toes.

Behind her the waves roll in
from the immensity of the ocean
which stretches right across
the background of the picture,
leading away into the far distance.

Even that line where sea meets sky
does not present any real limit.