Just today - - deep in the warm of a summertime beach - - three small boys and I lay within arms reach of each - - down on our bare bellies in the sand. We lifted it - and sifted it by hand - through part spread fingers - watched it as it fell. And cried 'Oh See' at what remained unsifted. a broken bit of mussel shell - - a sun-dried string of ocean grass - - a spindle branch of driftwood - drifted - sanded glass. We tagged in single file then - - down truck tire tracks - down to the sea. We stood at last in the wet - and let the sand suck our feet. Then we went wandering - weaving in and out along the scalloped edge of water line - I traced it with a stick. Then about six feet etched - a wave strode in and wiped out mine! Then it occurred to me - - this shallow ledge - - this is the hem-edge of the sea! the lacey part surrounding all that wide and deep. Silly me! Silly me! To even fancy it might keep - - my sketchy small retaining wall.