As the Derby Begins
By Amarylis Douglas
For Hawkeye
when the spring winds
blow warm
and the striped bass return I will think of you.
When I tie my knot
And wet my line
I will think of you.
I remember my back ached one more cast
before the Chappy ferry quits. While you talked to the fish I talked to the stars
and while you walked and cast I followed along
and trusted your path.
And still I am here
thinking of you.
Every time
I see lightning strikes
dance across the sound every time I hear Johnny Hoy sing the blues
every time I watch the sun
go down over Dogfish Bar
every time I watch a moon river float its way back home I think of you.
Amarylis Douglas has lived on the island for 40 years. Her book “The Fellowship of the Rain” was published in 2020, and won an award.
Poets with a connection to Martha’s Vineyard are encouraged to submit poems to community@mvtimes.com. Please include a two- to three-sentence bio.
