Beaufort Docks Poem by Kyle Schlicher

a few hours of liberty to kill
spent walking on the docks
watching shrimp boats resting,
tied in place.

what a way to make a living
was my thought
as i stared at the boats
which seemed to be covered
with ropes and netting.

i knew nothing
of the hard labor involved,
the storms braved
by salty fisherman,
the return trips with holds
not filled with shrimp.

no, in my youth and ignorance
all i could see was a boat
and the blue water
on which it sailed.

(3-29-1974)