i remember

back in nineteen eighty five
when i was a slave
on a roman galley ship
and was whipped for
not rowing hard and
fast enough, for being
distracted, or day dreaming.
i'd look out the tiny
porthole as the sting
of the metal barbs cut
into my flesh
and i'd watch the porpoise
swimming along side
us, jumping in their
sleek grey skins with
joy and life. they almost
seemed to have a smile
on their blunt nosed
faces as they swam beside
us. occasionally
i'd point them out to
the new slaves, but
after awhile, most
of them lost interest,
but not me. i knew there
was a better way, another
world outside this ship,
and i found it.