after work drink at Sunny's in Red Hook
the sailors and Etta
and
pick up line competitions smelling of BO

Narragansett sing along
tiny dancer
on
the toilet ledge

i had my first cigarette in 6 years.

whiskey came
unordered
and
went
graciously between Scott and Nick

but

neither mattered.

so i stood and stood
and
we laughed and laughed
and
talked boats until my fingers felt drunk

smiles meant for
the dedication pages of The Beach

he offered
i grinned.

Patagonia maps
and
moaning wails
and
i keep looking towards the door
because i cannot contain
anything
nor
do i care

so we hop on a boat
and
another boat
and
another boat
and
i did not wear the right shoes for this.

gloveless we huddled
in the rear of the vessel
and
came upon
her.
there
in the East River.

glowing.
i'm glowing.
we're glowing.
she's glowing.
our hands. locked. tight.

my teeth were frozen
and
my eyeballs full of water
and
his eyeballs.

first kisses
should always
be on a boat

in the middle of the east river
in the middle of winter
in the middle of the night.

on Valentine's Day.