SET SAIL Poem by Charles Ducal

A door creeks, a light buzzes on.
Caught out a rat flees
into the ceiling.

Awakened from the flesh
the noise of hunger rises.

Incredibly heavy the dust hangs
in the webs, incredibly
heavy the stench.

Were you here before?

Beneath the load rising
slow and greasy
the toxic stream.

Do you know the rules onboard?

An engine starts.
In the pipes the shaking begins,
the meal falls.

Calmly the ferryman marks
the backs,
checks his number.