Simple Pleasures (inspired by Rocquaine Regatta) - Diane Scantlebury

Simple as the grains
Sifting through the fingers of tiny hands,
Building castles in the sand,
Simple as the parched grass
Prickling against goose pimpled legs bare,
And the smell of seaweed and burgers
That taints the air,
Simple as listening to music,
Eating mackerel from foil, sipping cider and wine,
Simple the pleasures of Regatta time,
The grunt and sweat
As the crowds with passion roar,
To encourage the contestants in the tug of war,
Then, when homemade rafts have sailed
And wellies have been flung,
When all the rosettes and medals have been won,
The long trudge back once the day is done,
Simple are the pleasures of family fun.

Diane Scantlebury