The Captain’s Song
Her mouth is froth
Cut the ties she flaps
Her wings for me
Pretty as a mayfly
She lets loose
And takes me aback
With how hateful she can be
To the one who taught her to tie her shoes
Wakes the neighbors again
I can only guess at the reason
This time is different, she assures me
She is sure she is dying
For her sins
And then hold her head
Firm and lean over
As I'm supposed to
Coaxing, ever imploring
Tell me everything
It works like a charm
My arms flexed enough
Now, her mind is a child's
So I cradle her and rock
Like a babbling brook
My name is help but
This is nonsense
My love is grown-up and
Seething and gasping
Chomping at the bit
But I tighten the reins
Once, in a moment of human weakness
I stroked her dress
Then I lived to regret
How she cringed because
I singed the edge
Of her nonexistent innocence
All for a selfish request
Because my needs are carnal
Of course hers are heavenly
In any case, I lost
Racked by breathless sobs
Her body grows stiff
Grip loosens momentarily
Rips away
On broken legs
She stomps over and
Falls, clothes catching
Through electric fence wire
Where young birds nest in briars
...
I told her once of how
My father hugged me
To his chest on days
The wind wasn't in my sail
And I fell out of favor
With man and with God
Her eyes were on me
Nodding supportively
Her feet on my dash
Fingers interlace behind my neck
She was a real woman
When I couldn't be a man
All of a sudden, I wanted a daughter
With her laughter and her sweet neck
In my mind's eye, I saw her
But the baby wasn't real
And what I got was a wreck
A grown man reduced to begging
In our studio apartment
I can't trust her by herself
Bring her takeout
Draw her warm bath
Try to quiet her storm
A knife to her own breast
It's a threat and it works
On my knees in a heartbeat
Snatching her up and consoling
Validating a sickness, fever
Tonight is no different
Sheets wet and ceiling
Close to my nose
She curls up beside me
The angels are near
...
Brother, I go down with my ship
You know where the chest is buried
All I ask is that
You kiss our mother for me
More often than not
You brave the storm just to
Capsize close to shore
The lightkeeper was up all hours
Until the siren's song
Until her eyelids fluttered
Until she drew me in the shoals