THE HOUSE WITH A VIEW

High on a bluff the small house stood,
Unpretentious and plain,
Hardly worth calling attention to,

Part of the natural terrain.

Over the years it had weathered,
It had character lines like a tree,
Then, as it aged, the little house grayed,
Helped by the salt from the sea,

Its backdrop was the ocean,
Which constantly changed with its moods
A real Camelot, this wonderful spot,
This place of marvelous views.

Location! Location! Location!
The main reason they bought the place,
They loved the house and surrounding trees.
Its view, a true gift of grace.

The first thing every morning,
He'd put the coffee pot on,
"Get up, darling," he'd call,
"You don't want to miss the dawn.

Then he'd take two cups of coffee
Direct to the outside deck,
She'd join him there in her robe,
And they'd sit and rubber-neck.

They'd catch their breaths and sigh,
At the scene stretched out below,
For the sun upon the water
Brought forth a special glow.

Like the crown jewels of Europe,
The sea sparkled and gleamed,

And with each motion of the ocean,
Another facet was seen.

Huge waves rolled in the distance,
Baby waves crept into shore,
The sea air sharp and refreshing,
Spirits renewed and restored.

They'd quietly sip their coffee,
Often lost in fanciful thought,
Sometimes one remarked to the other
On the wondrous beauty God wrought.

If the day were stormy and gray,
The sea would totally change.
The waves would vie with each other,

For size and power and range.

The temper and mood of the ocean
Always affected the two,
Who were torn between thrills and chills,
When a wild tempest blew through.

The fury and madness of nature,
Unleashed and free and unsaved,
Caused their hearts to beat even faster,
With each crashing and smashing wave.

At the height and peak of the storm,

The noise and sounds were ear-splitting,

And the flashes and streaks of lightning

Were awesomely frightful ... but fitting.

A storm like this on the ocean
Though viewed safely from the shore,
Was a mighty God-fearing event,
And humbling to the core.

Some days there'd be on display

Monstrous, migrating whales,

Or gregarious, dancing porpoises,

With lovely, light silver tails.

The ocean next at sunset

Brought again more wondrous views

As each twilight then presented

Multi-colors, tones, and hues.

The very essence of the sea

Was mysteriously revealed,

To those observers on the deck,

Who loved its zest and zeal.

Oh, so huge the ocean,

Oh, so small the man,

Oh, so great the vision

Of God's almighty hand.

The two would sit upon the deck,

In revered and total awe,

They knew the view of what they saw

Was truly a view of God.

Virginia (Ginny) Ellis