a new girl just moved in
on Cliff Street/voice
warm as somethin just baked/
hands-on-her hips and
mouthing off to everybody
on the block. she is perfect
for a time like this: while
the boathouse is padlocked/
in the frozen-over state
of things.
she shows me a gash
on her shoulder
from when she jumped
from her grampa’s skiff
during a fishing trip. she likes
the idea of being swallowed
by the water/of
washing up on the shore/
alive and kickin/
wearing nothing but
her birthday suit.