that sinking reeling

the anchor is down
the pirates are resting
bringing up the stationary
rear will be the sail cloth that
fell away from the carelessness
of a first mate who was watching
whales rising and falling and seeing
his whole life in the breach, disappearance
dreaming of the mistakes that lead to the
stopover where the land is sufficiently 
close to stay in one place, but just
far enough not to be swum