The Dance

Raw the morning air
Still cross from the early sun's awakening 
There to envelope her completely

First her toes

Next her legs

The particles crawling up body to neck
Finally cover her head

Synapse of a chill from nerve to skin 
As the breeze dances with her hair

Some strands perform the tango

Others a graceful ballet

Upward she lifts her head towards the lightening sky

Lungs starving for a breath of salt-stringed air

It tickles her throat

Provoking a giggle to erupt from smiling lips

Slender toes speculate the sand

Still cool from the absence of the sun

This time it’s her turn to dance

She chooses freestyle and effortlessly floats across the sand

Unaware an accidental skip into the water

A small shriek followed by more giggles sure to arrive

Tentatively, a single toe is hovered

Over the swell of the frigid water and carefully she dips it in

Purposely this time

A squeak breaks through her pursed lips

Another chill sprints through her body

This time traveling up

With courage, she puts both feet in the foaming shore and holds them in place

Screaming neurons fire repeatedly

But she does not relent to their beckoning cries

Her feet stay until no longer she can feel them

Laughing at the strangeness of this

She turns east to view the eagerly ascending sun
Refreshed after it's nightly rest

The golden rays reach out to caress her skin

Gently coerce her eyes shut
Dispersing promises of a new day

Her toes numb

Face warmed

Hair dancing

This has to be the best feeling, she thought