THE SHRINK OF THE SUN

Not for any landscape reason
except of blessing
do we think of our reservoir
being filled with showers
as birds lean on our roof
from our picture shadows
of a wintry shortfall
yet through the words
of my daily memoir
the shrink of the sun
has ordered two full days
of rain to quench our thirst
and allow us a first drink
in the spring garden
with a spouting water fountain
on the Coastal cities
on geyser seas of the plain
from Triteia, daughter of Triton
and companion of Ares
we are sometimes sinking
deluged within acres of flood
we ask the ancient mariner
for knowledge
as only Coleridge could give
of our loss
when the fishing is greater
in finding his albatross
searching for red salmon or cod
followed by a hook
of sound barriers catching us
by the rocks off shore
praying for a bountiful catch
from the fisheries of God
as a large tuna strikes the hull
by an ocean's secluded nook
suddenly a hump backed whale
slides by Florida manatees
and dolphins to be rescued
in the noontide of the Keys
or from our islands of Encantadas
in a memory of expedition
with imagination's whale
from a troubled venture
in a youthful cry to sail
taken out of Melville's logs
as an exile in a lotus position
runs out of breath and monologues
to save a true nature's quest
by native sandy sea creatures
in the lung of language
not knowing our map's direction
we are not yet prey to showing off
for the tongue's offspring
asking only to have a request
by swimming along
the motioning high tide
with a wellspring masking guest
stretched out as a labyrinth ride
over aimless wires of useful oars
to save so many mammals
from environmental enemies
on both sides of the foggy shores.