When the boys grew up on sun and waves

The sun didn’t kiss these boys

It hugged them

The way you would with your best friend before

Leaving for a long time

It hugged them and

It made their skin the color of a caramel

And their hair like the sand

Blowing the way the sand does

In the wind.

The sun let the boys go into the

Waves

Where salt sprinkled stars across their face

Stars disguised as freckles

The boys watched the ocean

Learned how to behave

They watched as the ocean made people think nothing of it

And then teased those who didn’t know right

But let them off the hook

And they did see the way it devoured

They vowed not to devour but

They learned how to be the boys

who were hugged by sun and tossed by waves.