the turn

the storms and their wobble
the seasickness and its pills
the hopeful paddling amidst the trouble

the permanent mending of a damaged hull

the tears, the salt, the faults
the dives and the somersaults
the sky, its stars and their falling

the unflapping wings of the seagulls

our colorful shells and the gray ones as well
the healed wounds and the ones left to swell
our dreaming of harbours
both safe and wild
your hand in my hand, the sun and the hours

all that was sacred, the miles we've earned
ejected in handfuls, like bread for the birds
for it is too great, the effort it takes
too shaky a trip and
too big a wave

we have given up

the boat is turning back