Self-Portrait as Miranda

　　by Geri Doran

　　 My story begins at sea， in the bitter liquid.

　　 If not， it would begin in Florida， along I-95

　　 in the circular drive of a circular， lime-green motel.

　　 But I have selected the sea， and you must

　　 trust me on this. Truly terrible stories

　　 begin in navigational error， a slight misreading

　　 of the sight that sets the crew in a maelstrom.

　　 Perhaps in another story it would be a man

　　 standing at the door， surprised that he's knocked，

　　 that you have， in turn， answered. He wishes

　　 now that he had lingered in that drive， paused

　　 before resuming the course toward your door.

　　 As the crew， in desperate but unspoken straits，

　　 wishes belatedly for a drag on the anchor.

　　 Frequently， we are thus carried along.

　　 Frequently， de profundis， we struggle ashore

　　 to find ourselves， if not stranded， then beached.

　　 We are inclined to be grateful for land.

　　 Survivors of shipwreck cast two shadows：

　　 the outline of interrupted light， and an aura， thirst

　　 to drown again. Perhaps， in the unwritten story，

　　 the man at the door looks thirsty. You sense

　　 he has come to repair himself at the dry dock

　　 of your flesh. There is nothing else to do.

　　 Your home is an island of white sand

　　 and he wades in from the shoals of the walkway

　　 asking for fresh water. So you find him berth.

　　 This much Miranda herself could explain：

　　 how Ferdinand come shimmering from the sea

　　 appeared no less a rescuer than she，

　　 with his handful of kelp and the pretty words

　　 of a man desperate for sanctuary.

　　 Ferdinand missed that she was shipwrecked

　　 too. Miranda had the shadowy thirst.

　　 You know the rest of the story.

　　 They're happy. Then it ends in the bitter sea.

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