OFF LONG ISLAND

Feeling abandoned
off Long island
in our navy shirts
we received our sea legs
though lost in the sandbar
by the calming quay
heading for the shore
feeling my clammy palms
like a conquistador
not looking for gold
or treasure
only sea shells or stones
while we recovered
by role playing
rehearsing in scenes
of "Measure to Measure"
from adolescent hurts
all these waking days
where we had steak
and eggs
and some ice coffee dregs
Kurt and I
fishing for salmon
under a hot August sun.