Before dawn,
Stretching away sleep's stiffness,
Breathing in the soft morning air.
The jolt from a light jog tells my brain,
"There is no shame in walking."
But I don't walk and push on,
Knowing my body can do so much more.
At its rise, the sun tucks behind a cloud,
With the charm of a child hiding in plain view,
I laugh at the playfullness, and then marvel
At the power of its brilliance revealed in full.
The beach is scattered with
People who woke to capture the moment.
I laugh and frolic, my mind dancing,
Thinking "the Sun's warmth is life, and
When my time comes, I want to feel the Sun's warmth forever."
Then the curving boardwalk straightens,
As if to say in an awakening, "you're work is done."
I turn back towards my starting point,
Passing two people worrying over a kitten.
"What is its name?"
With worried eyes, "It is a stray."
Calling back as I pass, "You should name it,"
Everything deserves a name.
Touching the trunks of palm trees, and
Clapping my hand against the outreached leaves from a row of bushes,
Like high-fives to those cheering
For your success in a race,
I reach the place I started,
Stronger than when I left.