the boat ride

the family.
all sizes, are standing on the pier
with their oars.
there is yelling,
and jostling for positions.
the orange life jackets
make them look
like fat bees. they stand
and wait in line from front
to finish, the mom
then dad.
the little ones, teetering
towards the water
and the wobbling canoes.
the teenage girl, bored,
sighs why are we doing this?
one by one
they are helped down
into the long boat,
the mom repeating
don't anyone stand up,
stifling the tears of
the smallest one with candy
from a plastic bag.
you watch them as the father
takes the oars, silent
as the horizon,
and pushes away, digging
deep into the shallow
water, trying to hard
to paddle to a place
he can no longer get to.