Thursday, November 29, 2012

The Sailor By Geof Hewitt

In the movie the boat goes under
And he alone survives the night in the cold ocean,
Swimming he hopes in a shoreward direction.
Daylight and he's still afloat, pawing the water
And doesn't yet know he's only fifty feet from shore.
He goes under for what will be the last time
But only a few feet down scrapes bottom.
He's suddenly a changed man and half hops, half swims,
The remaining distance, hauls himself water logged
Partway up the beach before collapsing into sleep.
As he dreams the tide comes in
and rolls him back to sea.