Companions

Photo by Kelly Dorsey

Could've been His & Hers, Like
towels hung on the chrome hooks that
matched the chrome handles on
the bathroom sink faucets
in their cottage
on their island
Where they had come to sneak away

Could've belonged to Father & Son
One of them aged, a little slower to
the punch
One of them calling out
  " Dad, are you ready?
    Let's head off the Cay
    the bonefish await us "

Could've been abandoned or
waiting to be rented or
dry docked for the winter...
  I was tired of guessing
So I left my thoughts hanging with
those boats above the water,
Dead props & throttle valves
closed off,
Fuel lines emptied

And made my way further up the
shoreline
Toes curling on the soft sand
hillocks 'neath each step
Skin amused & quite comfortable against
the subtle repetition of
respired air from the Bay

And the sounds of occupied boats
much livelier than those I had
left
off in the distance
began to decay

... the afternoon had settled

I guess it could've been their emptiness that
left me questioning their direction,
  Coming in or going out...
But there is no Being Empty, Just
a changing of what we're filled with
  And it could've been just that
  simple
  And I had missed it
  all along.