"There's no point in building sandcastles"
The old man said
As he gestured to the shore
"You see, they're too fragile
And aren't very durable
Unlike me they cant handle the years
Or even days
Against the crashing of the waves
The beating of the rain
Or the sting of the wind"
The wizened fellow was trembling
His hands shaking as if under some immense weight
"You wonder why I shake do you?"
He said, following my eyes
"I shake from experience
And rightly so
Because I learned a truth long ago;
I'm an earthquake
That no sandcastle can withstand"