The Sailor

TWO POEMS

THE SAILOR

An albatross goes flapping high-

He's a shadow in the sky

Far away and far astern,

Following and following-

Like a song you used to sing,

But you can't remember how

All the words went, nor the turn

Of the melody; and now

Only half a tune and rhyme

Circles in your head . . . and yet

It's a thing you can't forget,

Following you all the time.

An albatross is like a girl

You go picking up at night

In the street-or anywhere... .

And she'll let you muss her hair

Till you get it out of curl,

Then she'll kiss you, more or less,

Even let you tear her dress.

But she's always far away,

Far and almost out of sight . . .

Always like that slippery bird,

Like the song you used to sing

That you wish you never heard,

FOETRY: 4 Magazine of Verse

Following and following,

All astern of men and ships,

Following. And what I say

Tastes like bilge against my lips.

Boy, when a man dies, shipmätes toss

His body to the albatross.