Tied Fast

What knots are tied

By tired

Aching hands

Salt-red swollen split

Still working

On the ropes

Against the endless

Lapping

Lapping

Lapping

Of time against the gunwales

Breaching over the hull

Spilling over the sides

Sails and ropes and

Somewhere in the bilge

A broken oar

For emergencies.

The oar

The sails

The rope

The knots no sure

Defence when the

Lapping

Turns to waves

Crashing

Crashing

Crashing

But still

Better to have

Things tied fast

First

So his swollen hands

Keep working

On the knots.