Valentine At Sea

On the blank wall opposite
the three large windows
only a few feet away
he wanted to paint the ocean
under a blue sky as if
seeing it from a large ship at sea
a few dolphin leaping along
the whole scene framed by a trellis
of real morning glories
but instead every afternoon
some sunset would lower
from the top of the wall
its peach-colored banner
of beautiful defeat above
the trellis still waiting
for the ocean to be painted in
and for him to begin to feel it
swaying and carrying him along
and not that bloody pennant
going under once again