Abandoned Boat

NATALIE ROBINS

NATALIE ROBINS

ABANDONED BOAT

Holding out for richer anchors, the boat floats

across the bay, no exits in sight, no stopping

to say the day is longer than any of its used

parts, no narrowing down into spilling circles,

no leaving behind spent waves.

Onboard, a broken anchor, used last week

and fixed to spare sailing through the air:

no hands will hold it now, pull it from

its locker on the planks, no eyes will say

it's there to stop the boat from pushing out

to sea.

Run by no one, left behind, no food, no light,

no drink: the boat is waiting for a better way.

The paint, chipped and dull, runs out to waves

it cannot use.