On an island far from here,
A giant turtle rests on a sandy shore.
Nearby strides
The man of dreams,
Who has been here since
He was a child
And rode that turtle's back
Away from civilization.
All the birds dance
Around his hairy head
And brown shoulders.
I am the only animal
He does not talk to.
I watch with binoculars
From a distance,
Then sleep curled up in
The dunes with him at night.
I know what he loves and why,
All of it.
I have been watching from
My boat and airplane
For years.
There is only one thing precious
He has allowed me to give him,
For he needs nothing else from me.
We watch the sun
Rise and fall together.
He never mentions home.
During the day I leave him alone.
He likes to wander in the jungle.
Every midnight
He lets me know
He's glad I'm near.
We swim where
Stars sparkle black waters.
I give my self.