I lived in Australia for a decade. One thing I loved was to go out with my mate, Rob, to fish outside the Heads of Sydney in his boat. One day, Rob left some bait in his car in the heat…
1
It’s 5:37 in the New South Wales morning.
Rob and I are ready with beer and weed.
We drive to the jetty.
Where we unleash the old boat
Oh sweet lord, that bad bait
Squid left on the dashboard in December.
In hard Australian heat.
2
Lights on, huge, around us.
Our engine kicks, not fluid
Until the harbour split, then out.
Snapper water, not yet
Kingfish water, not yet
Dolphin, flying fish, not yet.
Our boat, lights out
No battery, idiot!
His engine now.
Fluidity, happily with me.
The boat kicks on around us
Our early, fragile spines kicked
Our mouths shut for breakfast.
3
Then out of the heads to the hold on!
Hold on! Hold on!
That sea, those fish, that light, that sunlight!
