Today there was a man in a boat
Two on another with nets
My ink and I sat on the beach
With pelicans and tiny crabs
I wanted to swim the quarter mile out
I planned my words even
“Hello sir. How are the fish today?
That’s a beautiful boat.
Your family’s name is Flores?
I knew a Flores once.”
We stared at eachother
My skin betrays me even so far away.
Was it Jesus who said try the other side?
I swear I drink this water
I swear I bleed your blood,
Blue and white and a little salty.
I follow birds too
I’m awed at our land
At our sea
We are the same children
We are pulled down by the same force
For now it’s only ours
We own this cove, the fishermen and I
The trees tell me the same secrets,
They hold my own
Like the mango with my name
Was that really 4 years ago?
Oh, I was only a girl
We can stare I don’t mind.
I don’t need a word or a wave or notion
We just share the water.
Some are afraid of men in the sea
I’m jealous they are so close to her
They know her
The same way I almost know a pen
Don’t let me go
Don’t let me go
Don’t let me go
Not again.
Did you catch that fish sir?
Is your belly full, bird?
I will always thirst for this water
I will always search for this earth
May angels always bring me in.
God, I don’t think I thanked you for this
Not enough
Here I am strong and proud
Blessed
Here I dream sleepless
I breathe poetry
The world breathes lemon and eucalyptus
My heart is Bigger than
The ocean I hardly understand
My songs are always of soul
I grieved and was forgiven
I returned and was remembered.
The water only barely whispered
“Come back to me”
You are all I see
