For fishers, October transitions from
Summer heat and bustle to cooler days
And nights, warmth of hearth-fires, haze
Of smoke and fog clinging low on salt-
Marshes and pasturelands, maples
Ablaze in autumn crimson-yellows.
Harvest of fish, crab, and oysters com-
Pleted, sun-warmed days are spent on
Boat repairs, preparing for brutal winter
Waves, freezing spray, headaches and
Concerns, when skippers make quick
Maneuvers on foam-streaked seas.
In silent unison, families scrape, caulk,
And sand, finishing new wood with hand-
Brushed coats of paint, acts of faith for
Finding fish, hauling trawl nets without
Incident or injury, returning safely on
Snow-streaked winter nights.
Yes, October preparations are checking
Winter gear and boots for fit and tears,
Before cold-numbed feet stomp steel
Trawl decks, over-washed by freezing
Brine, prayers for warming sun, home
Buoy lights, hard life of surging tides.