Sines.

these days
the old men still stand beneath the castle
watching the ships go in and out
as their grandfathers did
and their grandfathers before that
the ships are bigger now
oil tankers and containers
filled with the things we did not know we wanted
filed and noted
by style and time of day
the sea when calm a mild estuary
or otherwise a temptestuous lover
and around the corner old vasco stands
in his iron stockings
his feet set wide
and his stare so far
so far away
each afternoon
his shadow moves slowly behind him
and the sea grows dark
and the sun sets orange on the water
the lights come on
twinkling on the boats waiting at anchor
twinkling in the old men’s eyes
who say boa noite to each other
and drift home
to bachalao à brás
rissoix de camarão
or peixe espada