A Harbour Night

Boats sway nestled to port
quietly breaking the ocean toward the shore
its laps catch my ear
then, I see
I watch as the moorings drip
counting seconds for no reason
high over in the charcoaling sky
chimney smoke rises, strangling the hills
there…
blips of buoy lights reach north and south
tomorrow to be a beautiful day
this, a story, a grandfather tale
to comfort me
as I am ushered home by the dear harbour
before it can sleep it sings
lending me its sounds for sweet dreams to come
allows me the harmony of its salty crests
until I turn my door in goodnight
I listen for the songs of the harbour

Just Before The Bridge

Photo by Brett Sayles on Pexels.com

four shadows passing by midnight 
the king, the jack, the ace, and the joker 
pushing and shoving…jousting in jest 
their laughter lulling the moon 
as street lights froze everything in time
and the world just slept 
shuffle and stroll in the wake of the chopping shore
they poked and praised, challenged some more 
free until the sun began to peek 
then they retreat with the dampening dew 
enough stories for a thousand tomorrows
from a single night
a key to a forever yesterday