The fishing village

The glamour of the name: Bay of Bengal
a luxurious cottage
sand raked every morning
sun loungers in rows under palm leaf shades.
Fishing boats at anchor
will set off before we wake
to bring us next night's dinner.

We walk along the shore
paddling through foam warm as velvet
wade across a river to a different world.
litter on the sand, a dead dog,
women washing bright blue netting in the sea
the houses in the trees haphazard.

And when we turn back towards our pristine paradise
the fishermen have made a river bridge
so that we do not need to wet our feet.