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,
like goodbye to one you love.

we floated, our eyes unwilling
to change.
the rocks, the storm tides,
tossed us.
when the hull split what could we do
but watch our ship reach bottom.

but time sooths.
today, dockside,
I scribble out a few words.
try to expunge the pain.
the gravelly air feels good.
I feel a sprightly bounce.
the breeze scrubs me clean.

I flash on a red skirt straight ahead.
she sways, laughs, curls her lips.
those shiny buttons stop me.
our eyes meet. our thoughts crisscross.
did I hear something?
what's she thinking?
I smell pasta.
yeah, I'm back.