David Francis

Apology for the Sailors

For sailors accustomed to such things
the world offers little surprise;
know that every person has a
passport and all the people of
one country don't look alike:  there
are many types and they sometimes
cross borders.  Otherwise all
cities have the same thieves,
some of the harbors are prettier at
night.  There is a logical reason
sailors are so gray and bored and
redundant and their endless card
games have the insensitive traveler's
flipping-through-postcards flatness.
There are certain calls they won't
go to if you gave them a million
dollars.  They are tired of
meeting begging children on the
first land they see.  Children
don't understand this.