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
with its canons.

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

the rocks, the clouds, the storm tides,
tossed us.
then the desired death came.
the hull split.
what could we do
but watch our ship reach bottom.

today, dockside,
the gravelly air teases, feels good.
new faces and a few pitched trees
give me courtly handshake.
I feel a sprightly bounce.
the breeze scrubs me clean.
the earth needs rain.  rain is good.
I've had plenty.

I flash on a red skirt straight ahead.
she sways, laughs, curls her lips.
those shiny buttons are like gold glitter,
big eyes asking for second and third looks.
she chops me up.
our eyes meet. our thoughts crisscross.
did I touch something?
what's she thinking?
I have changed.
the howl, the wit, the charmed spirit
have arrived.
I smell pasta.
yeah, I'm back.