Night Boat on the Bayou

[couchgrouch]

Night Boat on the BayouA paddle sliced the waterthe river was deep and blackthe moon was a naked crescentlike the curve of a woman's backa gas lamp was dimly burningin the back of that canoewhere someone lay unconsciousand barely burning, toowell, a shadow kept on paddlingand in the heavy fog aheadit saw two hearts in perilfrom the hour they'd metfolks said he was too well bredfor a Creole gypsy like herbut love knows no fence or limitand now here those lovers werein a night boat on the bayouslipping away 'neath the starsand it may go, steady and slowbut with time it travels farthunder rolls and lightning strikesdangerous and dark...sometimes love is likea night boat on the bayouwhen they kissed in a jukehousedown by the riversidefour rounders drew their switchbladesto show them wrong from rightbut when the band stopped playingone drunk lay stabbed on the floorthe rest were fetching shotgunscos pushing off from shorewas a night boat on the bayouslipping away 'neath the starsand it may go, steady and slowbut with time it travels farthunder rolls and lightning strikesdangerous and dark...sometimes love is likea night boat on the bayoushe heard yelling and shootinga faster boat was closing inthough her man's eyes had openedhe was still too groggy to swimher blade was no match for shotgunsshe tossed her lamp in their boatthey sunk in a blaze of firecos shotguns ain't made to floatlike a night boat on the bayouslipping away 'neath the starsand it may go, steady and slowbut with time it travels farthunder rolls and lightning strikesdangerous and dark...sometimes love is likea night boat on the bayouthey made love in the silver mistas lapping waves and moonlight kisseda night boat on the bayou(c)2004 Robert George