A string of scows lift on a late flux.
Sunset spreads itself along the crests of far hills.
The Ohio plunges into cooling shadows,
then a shimmering pause as the water opens its body.
Ripples fall away from the light,
shape-shift into Shawnee canoes.
There are shadowy natives still doggedly paddling
into the grassy skirts of Kentucky
A late breeze sighs, rattles tall reeds.
Evening slips under her clothes a slow disrobing.
For a long moment, the river shines
while the moon climbs over darkening trees.
I get up from my camp-chair stretching.
Ten years I recall, ten years of emptying out.
I look at my open hands, feeling easy and as fresh
as a rain-washed creek.
Categories:
scows, poetry,
Form: Free verse
unfathomable
all contact lost
beyond reach of umami
petulance 'tis impenetrable
sonar blips blubbed, unopened as dead mail
pings re-echoed dispelled, quashed
peripheral smiles cast-off in scows
shipwrecked eyes lashed with umbilical sighs
all at sea, adrift hand-paddling
willy nilly circling in coracle cradle corral
round and round the driftwood dry-rot
spins in whirlpool hole, nebula black
awaken not stirred the cast-away
alights from sleep alone, prone and dripping wet
self-marooned, ring-fenced on atoll beach
in cuckoo's nest
Categories:
scows, lost, relationship, sleep,
Form: Free verse
A string of scows
lift on a late flux.
Sunset spreading itself
along the crests of far hills.
The Ohio plunges into cooling shadows,
then a shimmering pause
as the water opens its body.
Ripples fall away from the light,
shape-shift into Shawnee canoes.
There are natives
under the tipped-up boats
still leisurely paddling into
the grass skirts of Kentucky
A late breeze sighs
rattling tall reeds.
Evening slips under her clothes.
For a moment,
the river shines for the moon
while it climbs over darkening trees.
I get up from my camp-chair
stretching.
Ten years, I remember.
Ten years of emptying out.
I look at my open hands,
feeling easy, as a fresh
rain-washed creek.
Categories:
scows, poetry,
Form: Free verse