Tell her to wait for me
Tell her I’ve traveled inland
And like the old travelers
I pray for this place called home

Tell her that I’ve bent down to build a boat
I am looking for the tree to hollow the body
I am looking for the hands to scrape the paddles
I am looking for the lake of glass to glide out into

Tell her I’ve been watching the running water
And I think that if I lay in the stream
The water will round out
My chipped edges

Tell her if I return alive
I will be carrying the ashes of my boat
And together we will float them out
Across our garden