The Living North

I met the first guy
who said I'll always remember this night, Jane when I brought cigarettes home on a whim
it was really him
and all of us other guys
who've said it since then
well we've been trying to mean it
as sincerely as he did

there is a metal divide
between myself and this lake in New Jersey
silver seaweed hands reach up and grab
a woman walking dog pulled in
never heard from again
focus on shining tension
we're striders on the surface of striders on the surface
I found a dog's leash on the shores of the Pacific

it means nothing to me