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.