The Ferry and the Train

Many years back, I sat down at the kitchen table and began to write a rhymed verse version of the Medieval story, Sir Gawain and the Loathly Lady. An hour or so later, I had a three-page first-draft/ last-draft poem. It simply poured forth effortlessly, as if I was coming through me from some realm beyond. Not to inflate it too much, it shared the quality in that scene from the movie Amadeus where Mozart is dictating the Requiem to Salieri. When you are the chosen vehicle for music/ poetry/ painting and such, I imagine many have had these kinds of experiences. Not even close to all the time. Most of the work of creation is slow and ponderous and filled with cross-outs, with that important tool, the eraser, close at hand. But sometimes it just gushes forth effortlessly.

 

Again, not to claim too much divine inspiration for what might be a mediocre little work, the difference is in degree, not kind. Yesterday, my wife and I finally decided to take the new SMART train that runs from Larkspur to Windsor, just north of San Rafael. It’s free for seniors and promised a little adventure on a lovely sunny day. 

 

I was somewhat ambivalent about devoting a whole day to it, what with my Mt. Everest list I need to tick off before taking a trip in four days for four weeks of teaching abroad. And it began dubiously as my darling wife, determined to be unnecessarily uptight about schedules, ran up alone to the N-Judah bus stop with me having to hurriedly follow. She doesn’t do well with criticism and didn’t take kindly to me pointing out how unnecessary it was to be so anxious when the timing was clearly going to be fine. (Ordinarily, I don’t air these little tidbits of our marriage’s dirty laundry but need to explain one line in the poem to follow.) The good news is that she got over it quickly and we had a fine day together. 

 

We did board the N-Judah and arrived at the Ferry Terminal (with 20 minutes to spare, I might add), met a friend and boarded the Larkspur ferry to get to the train station. Sitting outside on the back deck, I opened my journal to try to write myself back into happiness and noticed the first long line just happened to rhyme. So I followed that lead and ten minutes later, had a little poem that I wrote without pause. Haven’t written any poems recently, so felt good to dive back in. Certainly not a masterpiece, but having given this back-story, I’m obliged to share it.

 

On the Larkspur Ferry

SF skyline receding in the wake,

The SMART train trip to Windsor,

I’m not sure if I should take.

 

Too much weight is bearing down

on my one tiny life.

Not helped a bit by uptight shit

from my forever wife.

 

Yet the sun does shine, the water’s blue,

the birds sing on the earth.

While I sit down to write in hopes

I can inspire my re-birth.

 

Cobbling words together,

in sweet rhythm and sweet rhyme,

Might help unlock, turn back the clock,

feel the full embrace of Time. 

 

All that I know, I should let go

step fully into Now.

Forget the what and ask not why, 

turn attention to the how.

 

The motor’s roar, the water’s wake,

the wind across my face.

Help spark anew, my overdue

faith in the human race. 

 

Pen still in hand, the ferry lands

I disavow my pain.

Disembark, walk boldly forth

to board the freedom train.