Sunset fleet

.

Gathering at harbour
towards evening
the heat of the day
still intense
a chattering assembly
clambered up the plank
to the scrubbed deck all
grateful for breeze
at that altitude
even before the little
ship set sail

Tihana, Alessandro, Goran,
Mauro, Sara, Luka, Maria,
Javier, Assunta, Stefano,
Mia, Gio

talk was inconsequential –
of yesterday, today, tomorrow
of weather, wine and water
of this wondrous fleet and
of who, what, why and where and
had I been in an olive grove
instead of aboard I’d
have thought of cicadas
but our homeward reflection
on sunset dolphins leaping
sounded like silently
thankful prayer