It is Cleansing Time

In the marina

Photo by the author, Mark Tulin

After the storm,
a tugboat
tows the barge to the cove,
a long-legged structure,
with a crane that
stretches above

The barge’s wide hoses
float in crystal sunlight,
invading our privileged lives,
pumping a congested marina
to ease the Pacific flow

It is cleansing time
for our murky water,
the barge, only a temporary
visitor, a blemish
on an otherwise
perfect seascape

It is a moment of necessity,
to free our boats
stuck in the harbor,
people’s dreams
tied to a dock,
their hopes full of mud

Maintenance is necessary
to protect our maritime space,
where the sunset meets the dawn,
and the outboard motors
create a soothing hum.