the buyer be-ware blues

       
       
I knew he was sick before he told me            
could see the sweat pouring off him            
just getting his boat ready           
           
figured there was a link between the two;          
him sweating like that            
and his boat being for sale            
           
spent the day on her            
crawling under and in          
with torch and tools            
checking the things I want to know            
before cash-in-hand          
becomes cash-I-had            
and everywhere I looked told me            
he never meant to sell this boat            
the work all made to last for years            
done the hard way             
           
that's the boat you buy          
           
   
   
once the handshake had been done we went to the pub            
got talking about whatever            
and then to what his back-story was            
him losing his fight            
with all the things that getting cured from cancer takes            
that usual kick in the nuts;            
the cure was going to kill him            
           
I nodded and listened          
no pity asked or given          
ate his truth plain          
           
           
           
he asked me what I'd do with her            
where his boat was going to go            
and I told him my plans          
even talked them up a little            
gave him the widest version          
of my wide blue sea            
           
I’d want to hear it like that            
if shitty luck had chopped the legs from me          
and sold my boat to a stranger          
with health on his side            
           
     
     
after he'd gone          
I walked up the hill behind the sea-port pub            
stood overlooking the harbour            
could see my new boat waiting at her berth          
and on the horizon            
where the river mouth meets the ocean            
saw an ending            
and a beginning            
           
   
   
walked back down to the pub            
had my first straight rum in seven months            
           
raised it to whoever deals the cards            
then bought one more          
and took it eyes-open          
           
cos it's my turn          
           
and it won't last  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
.