Waking up on a boat

I wake up at night on a boat. A breeze rustles cattails. The moon shines on raindrops splashing on small waves. Boatmen and water birds share the same dream— a large fish flashes silver and disappears into the darkness. In the middle of the night, everything’s quiet. No one else is around to notice my shadow on the water. In the dark, the tide rises and laps on the shore. Moonlight flashes on the willows like falling spider webs. My life is a backdrop of restlessness and sadness against this moment of stillness. Temple bells echo. A rooster crows. Water birds scatter. Boatmen raise their sails and waves beat like drums on the prows of their boats.