Geometry

BY KATHARINE WEINMANN

The bow’s apex

a triangle of port, starboard, stern

piercing and plunging through water

pointed toward the shoreline.

Mainsail and jib

their sharp white geometry in a cerulean sky

held by mast and mainstay

boom and line.

Floating aimlessly down the river

would have been a lovely way to spend a day 

bright star in my memory

letting current steer while

wind from the tree-lined bank

puffed pockets of sail

would have been a leisurely way

for us to pass time together

no rush, no race so

no need to hoist the spinnaker

to hold lines and tensions taut.

But with you there always had to be a point.

To get from here to there fastest 

around those three red bobbing buoys

anchored deep, held fast

in the arbitrary triangle 

of the weekly regatta

anchoring our family’s invisible triangle.

You at the helm

bracing for the blow of the starting horn.

Mom on shore

drowning in lonely resentment.

Me white knuckled wet with sweat and spray

my peace-keeping muscles poised 

gripping the line between you both

suspended above a wind chopped chasm. 

Three legs behind us

we round the third red buoy 

horn blast announcing our finish.

I pray it’s not a pyrrhic victory
as this is not the time to loosen my hold

fall in

sink straight down along the trajectory

into darker depths.

Bright star shining through.

Poem composed in response to Colin Page’s painting “Bright Star” in the Poetry in Motion exhibition.

Katharine Weinmann, MSW

Originally from Niagara, now living in Alberta, Canada, Katharine is an emerging writer of poetry and contemplative, creative non-fiction. In her blog and podcast, A Wabi Sabi Life, Katharine shares the beauty in her imperfect, sometimes broken, mostly well lived and much loved life, reminding herself and inviting others to appreciate and allow life to unfold in all its mess and mystery, with all its grit and glory.