In by starlight

I slid out when the tide was high 
but the sun was easing itself 
towards the horizon.

It snagged on a mountain
and with a hiss of escaping gold 
it shrank away;
but the passing clouds
were sprayed with light in a thousand 
shades of warmth.

Out on the waters I watched with 
childish wonder as colours I could never name 
danced and swirled in bright reflection;  
oiling the surface with a liquid light.

And as the sun died the wind grew.
The waves slowly organized themselves, 
jostling and shoving until long lines began to move together.

I let them lead me,
lying back as they rode towards me,  
squeezed beneath me,
rocked me gently,
brushed me shorewards.

One by one the stars appeared,
lighting the ragged gaps between the clouds.
With the fading light the wind sank to a sigh; 
the gaps between the clouds grew large and 
lonely stars joined constellations.

I came in by starlight,
hissing gently on the water,
riding on the dance of reflected constellations 
until I grounded 
on the dark, wet sand.


(c) A McNaught