Boatman
There is a misty hanging over the lake
A line of pollen colorless in the smoke lapping the bank
With things those outlined unreachable
against the far far shore
Needle outlines pines roof of an old tool shed
ghostly wondering within
Eyes imagined yellow peering red wet
tongues hanging
This the very sort of day to set one odd-dreaming
There is a quiet distant music sounding then
A faint ripple distant plash awakens vision
I cannot see but hear the musical dipping of oars
"Hey! Boatman!" I yell into the gloom
"Hey! Boatman! How deep?" no reply
"Would I wade out? Is there an undertow? Would I sink
only make a pin-point entry be lost eternally?"
I laugh No reply
Still the steady dipping now growing near now far
the steady dipping to a heartbeat maddening!
to think he might appear at any moment
dreaming to the quiet eerie music and on
and on
"Apparition! Won't you speak? I've watched
listened for hours it seems
then
A breeze at last cuts the gloom
My vision starts!
There is no one out there
"Hey! Boatman!
Where?"
Copyright © Daver Austin | Year Posted 2008
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