THERE IS NO WATER ON THIS BEACH
‘There is no water on this beach’
Said I with certainty
There is no shop or place to buy
As far as eyes can see.
What I could see with clarity
(Seen with my dark black eyes)
Was one of three clear answers
Each one a compromise
We stay and thirst our time here
We leave and let it go
You trek and find a water source
(I doubt that one will flow)
He said ‘I’ll find us water
You can just count on me’
My heart a barren wasteland
I could not just believe
I took that matter up myself
And took myself away
I ran and asked some strangers
Who said ‘maybe yes, that day
There might just be a watercart
That roams along the beach’
I was just clutching at a straw
It still felt out of reach
And I was wrong (I see it now)
To have no faith, be blind.
When he rose to the challenge set
And he said: Let me find
I could have seen him resolute
And strong — in his full power
My eyes were clouded by the mood
That dominates the hour
And as you can already guess
Water was found at last
And followed later by a cart
Mojitos! What a blast!
What I now see is obvious
The ‘truth’ I could not see
Was not down to reality
Twas simply down to me.
- Elizabeth Lovius
The day we were on Playa de Los Alemands in Zahara. The beach was empty, no shops, no bars — nada. And we were so very thirsty. I could not contemplate being with water in this heat. It seemed there was no way to make it work — but really there was no faith. I was very hot, grumpy and right about how impossible it all was — and that’s what was seeing the options.
- 28th August 2021 Zahara de Los Atunes
