A marble bath

she at last

had permission to use

the marble bath

for the marble bath

she untied a paper bag

of periwinkle bath salts

& flicked them into the water

as though cracking a whip

she untied her hair

she untidied her hair

tested the water

with the soft pads of her toes

(tips of bladder wrack

in the sun)

her skin her markings

(as for the bath) — 

interior-of-Stilton

at last underwater

she drew breath

from every shell collected

from every beach

later in the evening

when dressed for bed

she rejoined her brothers

& sister &

they were each served

a portion of the last portion