Watrerfront Watch

smoke, sky trails.
the tug turns, squirms,
then steers upriver.
the wheat has to move.
but with all that commotion,
you’d think a warship was out there.

today no sun.
the somber air is thick.
I watch a gull poke blood thirsty
into the glistening waves.
in life nothing dies easy.

rocks, storm tides,
and then a hurricane
tossed us.
when the hull split what could we do
but watch our ship reach bottom.

but time sooths.
today, dockside,
the gravelly air feels good.
I feel a sprightly bounce.
the breeze scrubs me clean.

I flash on a red skirt straight ahead.
those shiny buttons stop me in my tracks.
our eyes meet. our thoughts crisscross.
what's she thinking?
she sways, laughs, curls her lips.
what a great smile.
go ahead, tease me.
I love it.
I smell pasta.
yeah, I'm back.