Humpback Whale

Two huge clouds droop from the sky

onto the ocean surface

and in that cleavage, a small fishing boat—

with a little steering it sprouts wings

and flies out

to chase seagulls,

drawing a new coastline.

The road is spiraling uphill,

lifting the ocean.

When we’re near the top, my thin retina

can’t embrace the ocean that looks heavy and dull

as my aged ancestors. I close my eyes.

Inside the car, the air conditioning blows out

piano fingers of cold air that play my arms

in recurrent invisible waves.

Under my skin streams out a large pod of humpback whales

raising their heads, spewing out

farewell to me,

as solemn as the standard scripts of the island.