Seeing Things

Late sun blue sky tipping
into coral, corral, seahorse,
serpent, shark, strange wings in the
flashing
              my father looking back at me from
                                                                                my reflection
as I would glance past or through
any number of faces
Poseidon, Thetis, Nereus,
Amphitrite riding in on the tide
                              various nymphs, mermaids
some give themselves to cold sapphire flames
              red hot go-go gone
              blood red rose red silver
                                                that’s how I feel walking to the beach
fish tail sleek trigger mechanism
all out of tune
takes me back to that
              god of the backward-flowing river Ocean
buzzsaw beer can riptide whistle
                              a shadow hand reaching for my cigarette
los vatos cutting across
changing shape with every step