the first seagull

the first seagull sings her plaintive song
one to last a whole life long
why wind and rain do ever
make it through this time

is beyond my reach
cannot believe
what words echo
as wooden vessels dry docked

on safe harbours for another
dozen years of  "nothing sung
as it appears"--dinghies do steer
to light house's warmth

like butterflies do to fuscia
flowers- forever succumbing;
we navigate a course 
with all we know....and still the rapids,
that painful undertow 

words and photo, by kate lamberg (c)