The god Maui opened the door
paths illumed

like diving into a cool lagoon
to witness a slow sunset

my skiff sails into harbor
a wind-kissed Saturday afternoon.

Surprise saturnalia
warm, dense sand,

in the surf counting waves
till I reach the highest

opening another Chardonnay
listening to my wife sing

my favorite chanteuse
through the swell

gently rocks then dreams
carry me off

like a letter sealed in a bottle
bobbing out to sea.

Beau Boudreaux teaches English in Continuing Studies at Tulane University in New Orleans. His first book collection of poetry, RUNNING RED, RUNNING REDDER, was published in the spring of 2012 by Cherry Grove Collections. He has published poetry in journals including Antioch Review and Cream City Review, also in anthologies along with The Southern Poetry Anthology.