Cruising The Chesapeake Poem by Dorothy (Alves) Holmes

Skyline fading in evening haze...
The air is warm and still...
Music lost in the sweltering heat - and
No one brave enough to dance
Although the beat is good.
Baltimore, we hail your flickering lights in the
Distance as we graduate toward your land marks...
Ft. McHenry first - we salute you!
Bouys flash caution while smoke and night
Darken the sky...
Waves whisper as we cruise - no air to prod them
On to loud conversation!
Baltimore skyline,
Shadows etched in dark and light harmony...
No breeze echoes the crowd but light laughter
Makes the evening sweet.
Card players top side...slap - slap...
No other motion in that corner...
Wind indicator tells a sad tale but we trail
The water path gallantly waving at the
Silhouettes of independent boaters...
Baltimore, we approach your newness in mortar and steel
The 'leg of 695' someone says.
I had the urge to sing The Star Spangled Banner...The Francis
Scott Key Bridge so magnificently beautiful before us
Like a giant erector set...
We cruise under and everyone becomes historian...
Tour lecturers from every corner...
'Fragile beauty' one gent exclaimed!
A coast guard cutter coursed behind us in the
Gentle waters...Its whistle bade us 'Hello! '
Baltimore, you beautiful, beautiful lady,
Tonight we love you still - though you've bottled
Your air elsewhere...
Perhaps in the city streets...
A speed boat turns to follow and tease us
He has conquered air, water and sky with his freedom.
Ft. Carroll - electronic day light in our focus
Then,
Sparrows Point!
We turn
And at last
A breeze!
We capture it in the grab bags of our lungs
Heading home.