A teacher follows his student

D.
Gilson

because he can
in a dream onto a boat
put out to sea for whale watching,
whose hull is full
of geraniums—their heads, fire—
a slight torch on the water line,
leading the way.
Where do they come from?
He asks.
Why are they here.
She answers.
He wonders—nothing makes sense.
And the student, she sweeps
her arms over the rail
into the water, braiding
the moss, a rope back
that way.