Dean Okamura

outside this window

our ship sails ahead 

outside this window 

a seagull soars

on rivers of the air 

with ease passing us 

then circles around 

to do it again 

this is wonderful 

though I cannot say why 

I guess I never considered 

seagulls to be swift 

for all that men accomplish 

gets surpassed by 

humble creatures 

open awake

we need to be open awake 

during the sea night watch 

even cloaked, the darkness 

is not complete 

the fog not solid 

the clouds not opaque 

as the moon glow flutters 

or ocean waves splash 

and the ship’s light illuminates 

reflected on the railing 

that keeps us from falling 

into the foam of lost souls 

an open pit 

strange rituals 

wind through trees 

each room has no address 

stairs become trails 

everything cloaked 

in late afternoon sun 

questions run 

with backs bouncing 

on endless trails 

rocks roll downhill 

languish for months 

querying is no fun at all

without agents 

who is interested 

in people who have nothing

writers and the dead 

share the same fate 

an open pit 

you’ll get there