tea-time

by Paul Octavious (thank you Stella)

a poem for the new year

No Longer at Sea
I was at sea for four days
(or ten years depending on how you count)

the ocean swelling and folding over itself
swallowing serenity and trading stillness for terror
the winds enough to carry you even without your sails amast

I swam with sea turtles and nurse sharks
which everyone says are harmless
but a name is still a name

On an island I met a man named Righteous
which is funny
because he's always in jail
he was clearing a road
in his prison garb

and I thought of you
and I thought of you
and I looked for the Big Dipper and her little friend
and I found Orion's Belt
and there were so many stars
and I thought of you