Tidal Wave

Gentle waves
On a sun bright beach
Reach the line of shells
Then retreat.

Suddenly!

In tempo with the swelling of the breast
A little wave begins to crest -
All others melt into this one
As it leaps from the sea and starts its run -
Seething, foaming, faster it bounds
Though the beach is there to take its crown
It will not stop, it can't slow down.
Its shear excitement, pure delight
The crest, the peak, the towering height -
To a downing, pouring, turbulent beat
Toward the line of shells upon the beach.

Then -

Little rivulets running to the sea -
And one is wiser and lonelier than before.