He smiles at me, the sailor I once knew
His oceanic eyes alight
“There’s a familiar face!” he cries
And points his hand to me
And soon we’re talking easily
Our conversation churning, swirling
Pulling me in deep, deep, deep
He smiles at me, the sailor I once knew
A professor, now, he tells me
Proud of his accomplishments
He has always seemed wise to me
Pirate or professor makes no difference
But he smiles, he smiles,
His oceanic eyes alight
He smiles at me, the sailor I once knew
His bright teeth, and his uneven smile
The corners of his eyes are creased
Crinkled like the ripple of waves
And in the ocean colors
Blue and green and brown and grey
I see the light that shines across the sea
The brightness and the glitter
Reflected back from those dark eyes
He smiles at me, the sailor I once knew
His speaking and his listening ebb and flow
In turn we tell our stories
Back and forth, back and forth
He tells not of adventures out at sea
But of adventures in a library
Of men he’s met only through their words
Who died and left only their books behind
Wave after wave, thought after thought
And I learn, and I listen, and I watch
He smiles at me, the sailor I once knew
And his ocean eyes alight
He takes me sailing in the sky
And uses words, and thoughts, and memories
So those men never die
And like a child loves the sea
I love those oceanic eyes