Raymond Carver

View from Raymond Carver's grave/ Port Angeles Washington
~~~
"At Least" by Raymond Carver

I want to get up early one morning,

before sunrise. Before the birds, even.

I want to throw cold water on my face

and be at my work table

when the sky lightens and smoke

begins to rise from the chimneys

of the other houses.

I want to see the waves break

on this rocky beach, not just hear them

break as I did all night in my sleep.

I want to see again the ships

that pass through the strait from every

seafaring country in the world -

old, dirty freighters just barely moving along,

and the swift new cargo vessels

painted every color under the sun

that cut the water as they pass.

I want to keep an eye out for them.

And for the little boat the plies

the water betwen the ships

and the pilot station near the lighthouse.

I want to see them taking a man off the ship

and put another up on board.

I want to spend the day watching this happen

and reach my own conclusions.

I hate to seem greedy - I have so much

to be thankful for already.

But I want to get up early one morning, at least.

And go to my place with some coffee and wait.

Just wait, to see what's going to happen.