Since the Darkness

BY SUE CLENNEL

Since the darkness I have been on the wrong side, the listing side of the ship.

There are always new arrivals
who wait with me to watch the moon suck us in.
Balancing, balancing.
Scared of the flick knives of cold Januarys.
Scared of the barbed kisses of fished out Mondays.

On shore, beefy voices tell us to sing,
commend a new glue for this crew of scraped knees,
sigh navigator wise at our silent impasse.