it’s been three

years since i was

here, in the place

that appears to be

the end of the earth.

my life is 

much different now than

i imagined it would be,

(whose isn’t, right?) 

but being here makes

it seem like

nothing has changed. 

that blue building 

where we stayed is

still there.

i just walked

past it. 

the boats in the harbor

continue to ferry tourists 

to the fishing spots,

and the deckhands

still give the 

same stories to avoid

cleaning the cod. 

i’m here now.

feeling like i did back

then, but today when

i get off the boat

with my brother,

liz

won’t be waiting

for us at the

bar with the money

on the walls. 

but i’ll go 

and sit there anyway,

with him and his

friends, trying to figure

out how to say

something funny enough

to make them laugh

when all i want

to do is

disappear for awhile.