the drumming of wash-state ferries
               -----------------------------------------------------------

               the cars and folks ferries of washington state
               green and white -- run the san juans and beyond runs
               sidney on vancouver island to friday harbor from
               anacortes from seattle to victoria from bellingham

               stand at the prow of a wash-state ferry on the main deck
               at the inch-thick rope by the sausaged cars

               listen in on the water drumming
               in the music of the chain and motor
               lapping -- has the rolling of a steel drum
               oil drum drumming
               indian drumming
               kodo drumming
               rock and roll drumming
               and the garbage men's clanging on a snorting
               garbage truck

               in time my hands wiggle and move
               i sway on the balls of my feet
               pat and tap my wrangler jeans
               nod my bolding wind-combed head

               da-di-dum di-dum-da da-di-dum-dum

               drummings scatter on
               panning over the musics
               folding, folded in a pasta dough

               here goes live phil collins
               chops the spliced rick marotta
               a smudge of blue cool from mister max roach!
               ante-vomit kicking of john bonham

               in the blister of a late star needle
               popping pop pop pop on a calm sea ripple
               standing wave of dancy sound: the engine's on

               on the midday strait of georgia...


                       Marek Lugowski
                       25 September 1997
                       Chicago, Illinois

                       [rewrite 27 September]