Washed Up

For the (fictional) series "Edges"
Narrator's voice



Washed Up

They share a story, these two,

who were lovers briefly, once,

and since then have travelled far.

Where they have been, what done,

they cannot know of each other – 

it's been so long. But sometimes,

when she combs her hair, does she

remember him running his fingers

through it, and under its fall on her neck, 

before drawing her face gently to his?

Of course she does! And prays 

to Mother Mary that he is well,

wherever in the world he may be.

As he too, staring out at the sea, 

doing his own remembering, fervently

wishes that she may be happy 

somewhere (sigh). A foghorn blares

across the bay. He startles 

out of that old dream, shivering,

and puts the memories away.

They see themselves, each of them,

as old and wise – poor scared children

breathing, separately, the rarefied air 

of their refuges along this lonely shore.

He plays guitar. It's more immediate

than the piano he learned as a boy.

As for her, when she wants to tear a hole

in present reality, to find her own soul,

she sketches tiny pictures with charcoal –

a leaf, a gauzy dragonfly, a quick fairy....


Linking to Poets United's Midweek Motif ~ Treasure, on the basis that the poem speaks of these characters' treasured memories.