Shack on the Bay

[couchgrouch]

Shack on the BayWhen Lester left the Navy, he missed that swaying decksolid floors of kitchenettes, made him feel seasickso he took his shoebox savings, bought an old houseboatnow leaky bailing buckets, keep that tub afloatdolphins come 'round at sunset, just like country deerhe pulls his porch's anchor, and just disappearson his shack on the bayrockin' chair, solitaireflames of sundown red n stokedthe smell of sweet pipe smokein the cool salt airbetween far horizonswhere an empty bellyis his fishing licenseso sail away, shack on the bayman's roots ain't where he's born, but where his spirit breathesand if the ocean grounds him, then he rarely leaveswhen Tom died in his lighthouse, Lester tossed rum in his boxnow sometimes moonlight plays tricks, when Lester's near the rocksonce he saw a shadow, whiskey jug in its handlight shining through the fog, guiding Lester to landon his shack on the bayrockin' chair, solitaireflames of sundown red n stokedthe smell of sweet pipe smokein the cool salt airbetween far horizonswhere an empty bellyis his fishing licenseso sail away, shack on the baynow there's a lady who works in a shady tavern on the baysidepeople talk n whisper and say if she falls for Lester she'll fall by the waysidecos they know ol' Lester, will only take a bridewhen the moon makes an honest woman, of the midnight tidebut she loves the endless blue, and the ocean mist rainbowso with his kiss she floats off, on the sky belowand the shack on the bay, the shack on the bay(c)2006 Robert George