in a waltz – she found the galley
rocking rhythmically to the sway of the waves
making her dizziness almost seem natural
“water legs” is the justification for her
worsening ways
the salt makes e’rything decay prematurely around here
and she crumbles away like the Gloucester
shoreline when the boat goes out fishin’
in the ocean

surely if she didn’t suck on that cigarette by
the hour – then her looks wouldn’t have
burnt away
with the gray smoke –
she developed such rotten poise
rusting away like the galley’s sink
that she never cleans –
“doesn’t she even work here?” yes
mainly for the hefty tips – fisherwomen enjoy the sea-bottom
ditsy ones to stick around when there’s
no company