Two shores are fastened by the water—
A running stitch that pulls between the land
And stretches in the currents looser or tauter
Over the rocks and underneath the sand.
Therefore the fishermen mend their sails with scabs—
The kind of seam that holds together flesh in
Windings of the spray when omens freshen
And lap the broken mast in dribs and drabs.
NOTES for Students of English
Freshen – When describing the wind, “to freshen” means “to grow stronger.”
Lap – Here “to lap” means both “to envelop” and “to splash.”