A Sailor
He…..was
truly of the sea and its seaweed and crustaceans. Part and parcel of the ‘make
a living’ selling fish and shrimp, and squid .Everything about the way of life,
coffee in the morning smelling of chicory and sea salt. Hardboiled egg and a
hardtack bisket. Heavy on the black pepper and a little garlic if on hand.
Mending nets as the schooner set out to the reefs...shuttle in- hand and weaving back the holes the ocean
took from the last runs. The gulls and pelicans were the ever present pilferers
and begger vagabonds. Just a bit of fish Sir, one needs a small bit if ones to survive.
And galumph hard swallow when it’s tossed skyward, acrobatics for the prize and
then formation once again.
Picturesque in the morning pre-dawn light, Red in the Morning,
sailor...what was it...oh sailor take warning, Painted like the watercolors of
a true beach comber. Visual images of the Still Lives of the proud few who
still plied this trade and hoped beyond hope a son would carry the sea water in
his blood, one more, yes one more generation to the likes of Captain, nay
lubber and the hard way of the sailors and hands of the sloops and diesel engine
shrimpers of the Gulf Coast.