they searched all the hills
and paths near the sea
some were too steep
others didn’t have
a good downhill slope

as if by accident or happenstance
all seven of the seekers
were standing in the same area
they looked around once more
and then clasped each others’ hands
simultaneously
‘this is it; it won’t get any better’
there were seven slopes
with adequate slants
they each chose a path
and started to clear away
stones, plant clumps, rotting roots
anything that might stop a rolling egg.
they checked their notes to estimate the weight and width
of each oversized egg.
then they carried water sacks from the ocean
and smoothed each path
until it was slick and fast.
at the top of each path they placed a large tub
to hold the gigantic eggs
and many smaller buckets filled with dye.

everything had to be ready for tomorrow’s sunrise
so that the giant invisible children
could run toward the water
and see the eggs at the top of each path.
red, orange, yellow, blue, green, purple and black dye
would be splashed all over the seven paths
hopefully the eggs would gain enough speed
to reach the sand.

the seekers placed the ostrich eggs
on wooden platforms
and pulled them toward the slides.
it was a beautiful, unusual sight to see
the silhouette of the eggs against the sunset.

the seekers knew that the first streaks of morning
would come very soon
they ran from place to place making sure
that there was enough of everything
for the invisible children
the seekers retreated to the highest sand dune
dug in
and surrounded themselves with beach grass

when the sun rose there were only eggs and dye
and the sound of the invisible children
running around in a mystical choreography
gigantic eggs were rolling down to the water’s edge
some cracking, some floating on the waves.
the seekers were filled with joy as they heard
the loud cries of the children
it was like a magic show made for the ears

soon all the eggs were cracked or floating in the waves
the children had no idea that they were being watched by hidden ears
they disappeared along the sand paths
and soon there was early morning silence

later on, after everyone had eaten a luscious lunch,
they walked along the shore and tried to understand
the mystery of the whole eggs and the cracked eggs
and the dye all over the sand.
it was an Easter apparition which occurred each year,
some said it was a gift from Christ,
others thought it was a heavenly psalm
it was the 292nd
time it happened.