Blog Post Poetry Four
.THE LAKE FREIGHTERS
THE LAKE FREIGHTERS
THE INLAND OF THE SEA
MILES AND MILES OF INTERCOASTAL WATERWAYS
I WITNESSED THE PROGRESSION OF THE BOATS
THROUGH THE BACKWATER WATERWAYS
A GREAT ORANGE SHIP
MADE OF STEEL AND IRON
SKIMMED ALONG THE WATERS SURFACE
THE FLOODS OF THE ATLANTIC OCEAN
BURSTING THROUGH THE LAKE BURROUGHS
BRINGING THE HIGH TIDES WITH IT
SEAWARD I HAVE TRAVELLED
A SHIP FULL OF THE TONES OF CARGO
A HULL FULL OF MODERN TREASURES
WHAT GIFTS IT BROUGHT ALONG THE MIGHTY MISSISSIPPI
FOUR TIMES A WEEK ACROSS THE SEASONS OF A YEAR
OVER THE GREAT LAKES
CONNECTED BY THE BANKS OF THE RIVER
THE TUNNELLERS
ORANGE HULL FLOATED ABOVE THE SURFACE
AS THE WATER DIPPED AND DIVED
A HUGE PASSAGE NORTHWARD
SEARCHING FOR THE CANALS AND THE LOCKS
AS THE MEN WORE BLUE OVERALLS
RUDDY AND DIRTY
ON A WARM SEPTEMBERS DAY
SHOUTING PROFANITIES
HAUL YOU BASTARD HAUL
HAUL YOU BASTARD HAUL
PAY DAY ONLY EXISTED AT THE ENDS OF THE RIVERS
PALE BLUE MEN SET AGAINST THE SKYE
A CONSTANT MOVING COUNTRY
AND THE AIR SMELT OF THE RIVERS
DANK AND DIRTY
LIKE THE MEN THEMSELVES
A SCENE FROM ANOTHER COUNTRY
ONLY IN AMERICA
INDUSTRIALIZATION
PUSHED THE PASSAGE FORWARD
AT A FRIGHTENING PACE
AND I TOOK A SLOW BOAT
WITH THE MEN RIDING THE LAKE FREIGHTERS
I WATCHED THE MEN AND THE SUNSET
THE SUN ABOVE THE FOREST GLADES
A CITY IN THE SHADOWS IN THE DISTANCE
LAND AHOY CAPTAIN
REDWOODS AND PINE TREES
GIGANTIC WHITE CEDAR ASH
A PASSENGER ON A MAMMOTH SHIP
SMOKERS AND WHISTLE STACKS
BLUE WHALES BEFORE THE OCEAN BLUE
A THOUSAND MILES OF ISLANDS
HERE WHERE THE CLOUDS FROM THE SHIP BLOCK THE SUN
AND I FEELL LIKE A GHOST
FROM A TIME BEFORE THE SUN GREW RED
AND BRIGHT ORANGE WAS THE SKYE
FROM THE MOUNTAINS CAME THE WIND
THE FLOWING RIVERS ADRIFT IN THE FOG
ON THE LAKERS
TIME PASSED SLOWLY
AND SEAGULLS WERE REFLECTED IN THE GLOW OF THE SHIPS ORANGE LIGHT
AS THE SKIES REFLECTION WAS CAUGHT IN THE WATERS OF THE RIVER
AND THERE SHE STOOD
IN ALL HER GLEAMING GLORY
THE DOCKLANDS OF NEW YORK CITY
A STEEL TOWN IN USA
NEIGHBOURHOODS BUILT AROUND STEEL PLANTS
AND THE CITY GREW IN AN INSTANT
FROM THE CARGO WE CARRIED
A LEGENDARY METROPOLIS
AS THE GREAT LAKES SLOWLY PASSED BEHIND ME
RIPPLES IN THE WATER
ALL THE SMALL TIDES OF THE RIVER
AND FROM THE TOWER BRIDGE
I SAW THE WHOLE WORLD
AND LIKED IT
THIS SORDID LOVE AFFAIR BETWEEN THE LAND AND THE SEA
FROM THE BEGINNING TO THE END
NATIVE TROUTS AND WATERBIRDS
SEA GROPERS AND SEAGULLS
THE SALMON AND THE STREAMS
WHAT WATCHES FROM THE TREES
IN A SMALL CLEARING IN THE FOREST
BEARS AND ELK
AS THE NIGHT AIR FILLS UP
FULL OF THE WHITE MOTHS
AND WHAT DO THEY THINK
OF THE HUGE STEEL VESSEL FLOATING BEFORE THEM
TONES AND TONES OF STEEL
PLUNDERING THE WATERWAYS
AND I HEAR THE CRY OF THE GRAY WOLF
IN THE CITY OF MIRRORS
THAT SUPERHIGHWAY AMERICA
IS LOUD AND DIRTY
AS CARS PASS MY HOTEL ROOM IN CHELSEA
IN THAT NIGHTS DREAM
IAM WAKE LOOKING AT THE MOON FROM THE ICEBREAKERS
BECOMING THE WOLF
IN THE WINTER WONDERLAND ICY AND COLD
SNOW DRIVEN AND FROZEN
A LAND FULL OF THE SHADES OF WHITE
RIDING SHIPS AND CARS
ACROSS AMERICA
THE BREAKWATERS AND THE ROADS
BECOMING ALL OF ME
ALL THOSE POSSIBLE PARTS OF ME
THAT I COULD MANAGE TO BE
WEARING THE BLUE OVERALLS FROM CANADA TO AMERICA
ONE OF THOSE MEN ON THE LAKE FREIGHTERS
FAST ASLEEP TILL MORNING COMES AGAIN
A LETTER HOME TO PROVINCETOWN
STEVEN IAM COLD ON THE LAKE FREIGHTERS
ILL BE COMING HOME TO THE PLACES THAT ARE OURS
FULL OF THE LITTLE RITUALS
SOON IT WILL BE THE SUMMER AGAIN
AND I SHALL FOLLOW YOU EVERYWHERE YOU GO
TO THE OPEN COUNTRY
TO THE OPEN SKYE
TO THE HOUSE ON THE HILL
BELOW THE CYAN BLUE SKIES
I PROMISE YOU
ILL BE COMING HOME
AND I HEARD THE CHESTNUT TREES RUSTLE IN THE WIND
THE DANCERS CRY ON GRAY STREET
THE LAWN MOWERS AND THE BEES
AND I WAS NEARLY HOME
AMID THE FLOWER CASTLES
AND THE FRONT YARDS
HOURS BY THE HOURS
REMEMBERING THE NEIGHBOURHOOD
AND THE COMMON STREETS
AMONG THE RIVER BOATS
THE SOFT GARDEN UNDERFOOT
I WAS HOME
AND HE SMILED
WELCOMING ME IN HIS ARMS
HE SAID THE WIND IS LOUD AND IT IS QUIET TOO
IT IS BOTH LOUD AND QUIET
AND I LISTENED TO IT EVERYDAY
WHILE I WAITED FOR YOU TO RETURN
YOU ARE
THE YOU AND I
I SPEAK OF
THE MAN THAT LINGERS IN MY DOORWAY
AND YOULL BE THERE TOMORROW
WHEN EVENING COMES AGAIN
IN A DREAM I HELD YOU ON THE LAKE FREIGHTERS,
SOMEWITHER A MAN WAITS IN BROOKLYN
