Ahab's Tavern

AHAB'S TAVERN

but once &;#8230; &;#8230;
I take a breath,
but once I knew a girl called Tess.
I spoke, eyes not rising, staring through the dark wood table,
an anchor tugging at my stomach,
my back straining at the chair

and the conversation fades,
stops in my head, mouths continue
and noise rose. No one had heard me.

The sea salt air grates my nose and dries my skin
I draw back through the crowd, past the man bending the cards
with his thick, tobacco stained thumbs.

Ahab flings open the door,
a weather worn face, curses his loss,
the storm sucks the door shut, slamming to lock us in.

A row behind the scene,
my eyes are glazed as I realise I am one of the lone men,
sat in battered uniforms, waiting for the break in the cloud.

I feel Ahab's wandering stare,
he walks past close, and says "thrill of the chase I guess"
I'm straining hard and snap, my back goes through my seat,
breaking it in two.
I'm on the floor.

The thrill of the chase, or death in victory,
neither will complete and both see me here,
sadness drags its heels through my heart.

Yet something shifts as the name,
rust cracks slightly and the cogs strains,
trying to break, the mill turns and drops start to flow.

In this grey room, I know the colour would blind me.
I'm scared memories run out, and brightness fades to this grey.
But the butterflies fill me,
people must be able to see my hand trembling,
They don't know what is inside me, trying to get out.
My toenails try hard to hold the stone floor, clawing through my
shoes,
Such a light can burn wings, but will always give focus for the long
fall.

I remember sighing as she left,
A life alone at this table and I never realised,
To break a loaf, is to find her,
To face the sun, is to feel her,
a fish may get away, or die caught
but she is always a step ahead, and I walk in her breeze

The other men are staring,
Their jaws fall and the grey room fights for them,
But my feet had her breath to stand on.

Outside the clouds break,
and I know sunshine falls from her hair.
The men see and rush to their boats to hunt.

When I find myself at that table,
I'll be careful to speak,
I know a girl called Tess,
She's just around the corner.