I lie on the beach alone, the many anthems I hear,

Those of the waves crashing on the shoreline then pausing still,

Those of playful children running wild and free, with their shrill, musical laughs carrying in the distance,

Those of the whispering winds, blowing every which way, occasionally carrying planes or helicopters along with them,

The rustling of palm tree leaves, as the wind gently rocks them to and fro,

The calls of the flocking seagulls, circling to find those who have lost their way,

The faint buzz of microscopic insects as they hover ever so slightly above the sand, 

The jovial sound of the ringing bell from the ice cream cart as it descends across the sandy walkway

The subtle shuffling of footsteps in the sand as the miniscule grains slither through one’s toes

However, the hum of the shores is not enough 

I open my eyes, and everything changes at once,

I can see the waves rocking up and down the shoreline, 

I watch the children running ragged, and reminisce on what it was like to be carefree,

I can see planes and helicopters being carried in the wind,

I watch the palm trees dance and sway in the wind,

I watch the seagulls travel in flocks over my head,

I can see the specks that make up flies and bees around me in the sand

I can see colorful arrays of umbrellas and beach towels surrounding me,

I watch the sky lighten then darken again, as the sun and clouds play tag up above,

This is the sight and sound of the shores