Colors of the Bay

By John Herlihy

Yesterday, the bay shone sky blue,

And I know why.

The blue heavens mirrored in the waters,

The bay’s companionable ally.

Last night, the bay shone sparkling light,

And I know why.

The distant stars shimmered from afar,

Diamond dust falling from the sky.

The day before, the bay boiling fierce froth,

And I know why.

The wind stirred the waves into a broth,

The waters no longer shy.

The day before that the bay emerald green

But I know not why.

The placid waters like glass, like breath,

A flock of green canaries, squabbling, flew by.

Another night, the bay appeared draped in black,

And I know why.

With no moon or stars, a celestial funeral,

One day a month, a lunar sigh.

The bay ageless for all of its age,

And I know why.

The skin of the bay like an aging face,

Wrinkled into wavelets with whispered grace.