there’s a place I go to eat
the view
in a building weathered yet spruce
Home Is the Fisherman — from Bahrs Restaurant Table
building weathered, yet spruce
high above the Navesink
over in The Highlands
inside, all the appropriate accents
whale’s rib–
gigantic lobster claw
grizzled captain figurehead
the requisite polished brass
one of the earliest ever
diver’s suits
stands sentry at entry
welcoming
every table waterside
sky light tripled
bouncing off inlet
then white fishing craft
to dance along our plates
we take binoculars
to table
sometimes cannot order
because we’d have to take our eyes
from fugitive goldeneye swimming below
off petite grebe
disappearing cormorants
My Sister Dreaming Across the Inlet at Bahrs
most friends know their specialties
without consulting
menus
belly clams for Faith
Anne’s oysters, fried light as tempura
Mike’s delicate scrod
my sister’s and dear Tasha’s lobster rolls
–high and pink and light
above that toasty roll
succulent steamers for Karen
scallops seared (special order) for me
always the cloud-soft hot biscuits
sun caught in Yuengling
on the horizon shimmers
our afternoon’s quest
Sandy Hook’s bird-rich reaches
across an emptying inlet
below our table
fishermen return
tie up to clean
morning’s catch
Good Day on the Bay
one day, even I could tell
they were working on roseate
striped bass
Captain later revealing,
“Each brought home his limit”
a little boy at the next table
–watching those deft surgeries
when asked, “What would YOU like?”,
answered
–pointing at their bass–
“I want one of those.”
Sky Light at Bahrs
