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[dukealien]

protected

behind the all inclusive hotels
with their happy hours
and harmless chatter
wave upon wave
crashes on the beach
in asphyxiated silence,
trying to intrude on us,
on us,
who, even dancing close
to another last frontier,
would not see water
nor taste salt and iron.

This put me much in mind of "Dover Beach" (which I had to go back and re-read to find out why, a valuable gift in itself).  Introducing the social/personal aspect late rather than early is effective.  Another way I look at the ending is by way of the old man sent to prison who wisecracked, "those guys don't realize they all have longer sentences than I do."  George Burns, but I don't remember the name of the movie.

Excellent and thought provoking.