morning light spills upwards from the horizon,
salt lingers in thin air
tangerine skies watch over as we take the road
filled with anticipation
we turn the stereo on
sing to our favorite song—
there is no other way to escape
but this—
you, me, the road and the wind
brushing against our skin.

we pack our bags,
wrap our soap bars
spray our favorite perfume,
laughing as we peek inside each other’s purses
like Pandora’s box
wondering what else to try—
yellow sunglasses, ball caps
an oddly familiar feeling
like rummaging a newly-cleaned closet.

wind-blown and sun-kissed,
we take the path to paradise
in bikinis pastel and printed
hair braided,
glare of sunshine touching our faces
building memories from scratch—
nothing but the sand and the shore
and the splash of the waves
against the grainy surface.

your head rests on my shoulders
as we watch the daylight fading—
hues of pink, orange, purple, and blue
painted on the sky by an invisible hand
thinking there is no goodbye as beautiful as this.