C l a u d i a S e r e a
O n 7 t h A v e n u e , t w o m e n w i t h s i g n s
a s b i g a s s h i p s a i l s p r e a c h s a l v a t i o n
The sea of salvation washes ashore—
shoes, hats, gloves, shirts, dresses,
whiskey barrels, bells,
rubber duckies,
papers, books, a golden trumpet,
a pacifier,
bottles, combs, a broken mirror,
a violin,
a toothbrush,
paintings, photos, pearls, feather boas,
wet bread,
a boot, knives and forks,
someone’s silver teaspoon,
but not a single body,
not one.