the room

first door on the left
right up at the top
the doorknob is tarnished

bedstead of brown polished wood
hotplate (two rings)
furred up kettle
tin saucepan

through the window
black fireladders
shadows on brownstone walls
a rusting watertank

stranded
halfway across the floor
a black leather boot
with a big silver buckle

salt in the air and seaweed
gulls circle the ceiling rose

the ocean rolls in from the far side
long lines of breakers
between the overthrown washstand
and the warped dresser

tidemark of debris across the room
broken planks
a smashed barrel of rum
glint of scattered doubloons

thick fine white sand covers the floor

stay
who made those footprints?

hush now
take care
how you go


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