"on a windy day, standing on a pier"

"on a windy day, standing on a pier"

overcast by jake kilroy.

i bury my head in the breeze and squint,

with sleepy eyes dangling like nooses,

as i ruffle my own feathers in a peacoat,

digging my toes into my beat up shoes.

this was supposed to be the season of mercy,

the one that youth forgot to tell.

youth was too busy playing spin the bottle

at a sleepover with a movie on in the background.

adulthood came and saw the mess

and just drove his car to the pier.

to do what?

nothing.

what a story to tell

to yourself

to make ends meet.

what a cough to have

after spending your teenage years

drinking cough syrup

before going to a meaningless job

just for kicks.

the sea is so restless.

who sails it anymore?

we already know what's on the other side.

it's just more civilization.

there's no new world within the world.

the sea monsters were left to history,

the pirates were left to hang,

and the oxford comma can go straight to hell.

what educated men we became!

tying knots and telling tales,

wishing we had drown at sea

instead of washing up on shore.

oh, to be a sailor

and not just swear like one.

oh, to be a captain,

and not just drink like one.

hair like waves,

skin like sand,

clothes like rags,

twas a pirate's life for me.

no honorable naval officer here.

just jonah climbing into the belly of a whale

without a holy book,

but a bottle of rum instead.

yo ho ho.

drink up.

this vessel won't bless itself.