Harbour Tale

I watch the route of her message in a bottle
At first take its course downriver then get
Tossed upon the weir and for a moment I think
It might break not make it beyond the harbour wall
And it would be a temptation to read it wet but
It reaches that ebbing tide by design
And begins its passage out to sea

I walk home along the promenade and
Looking for clues to her missive find a book offered
At either end of our story – ‘A Book of Answers’
Still warm from her last reading - which
Once was filled with profundity and relevance
But now I see only ever had one answer:
‘Be Patient’ worded one hundred different ways


Aci Trezza, Sicily