I found their shells
plastic empty red
and a right of way warning
rusted waist-high in vines
I could not pronounce PETROLEUM
I found an atlas in brick cities
nothing had been replaced
nothing was intact
I trusted my father’s mustache
and my mother with everything else
until the cold fled and the geese stayed
and places came from movies just like this one
and a dog named Molson ran away with the bird
and took our windy cries for cheering
I have my own way of standing half astride today
you must not think it’s a thing to get over
if so then so is everything
some other time
some other game
we would bring enough
for everyone again
Now it’s meanwhile
tall ships crowd the inbound tide
fireworks are due
we have been in our fumes two centuries
I am certain
I was present
and absent when spars collided
I am waiting for the sails
I caught this afternoon
First published on sarahwrotethat.com.
Photo and composite: Sarah Malone
Sarah K Malone 