A.R. ZARIF

all the locals in Seattle

will tell you to take the ferry to Bainbridge 

instead of Bremerton if you ask

Bainbridge is lovely and quaint 

but the ferry ride itself is half an hour

and so boring the man on 

the bus tells us go to Bremerton

and as soon as you get there turn right 

around and get back on the ferry

Bremerton is very boring but the trip 

is an hour long each way and lovely

on the eight dollar to Bremerton

I lay down on the long padded benches 

and sleep next to the window 

and take no advantage of the view

but for the slow yearning of the skin 

of the ocean that sings in between the 

crushes of air that come down like hands

to meet the water with sunlight running

in through the breaks which I close my eyes to