On The Hurricane Deck

On the hurricane deck

Of the Spirit of America

Staten Island ferry

Departing St. George’s

Bright sun on the Inner Harbor____

I’ve taken this ferry

Hundreds of time

Mostly to see a good friend

Dr. Nepola

We go back to 1970

I left him in Berkeley

Telegraph Avenue

1973

Got a ride in a Ford Pinto

East

With Marilyn

A single mom

With her daughter in the back

That night

We made love in the Bonneville Salt Flats

She dropped me in Cheyenne___

I haven’t stepped foot

On America

This year

Does Jersey City count?___

Neil and I are still friends

I called him on the crossing

No answer

I came I saw I turned around___

Hundreds of trips to Staten Island

This time I thought there might be ice

Last time the harbor froze over

2017

Not today

A crew member said,

“Was some last week by the Battery.”

His accent pure Staten Island___

Same as Dr. Nepola

He and I still talk about that trip

Across America___

I am an American

Irish too

The passengers mostly tourists

From scores of lands

Their accents

From far from here

Their smiles

Happy to be here___

On a cool January afternoon

Crossing the Inner Harbor

The Verrazano Bridge spanning the Narrows

Brooklyn docks to the East

Statute of Liberty

Always welcoming the poor

America beyond

The Salt Flats so far away

With Manhattan to the north

Full speed ahead___

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