With photography by Dennis Riley

Diesel Ghosts

Horizon cranes tower over quiet water, industrial giraffes in a bucolic oasis. Red Hook’s halcyon from the cacophonous city’s screech, an asylum. Seagulls sing a sea shanty echo above the diesel ghosts of sailors smoking on rusted wench axle. Barking dogs chase thrown sticks into water agile on the jagged beaches, ducks swim their kingdom tails twitching on by old trolley lines, the chasm of time. Beard’s Brick Warehouse lines the channel guarding the shore from more condos. The Merchant Stores full of plants’ green and key lime pie’s sweet- sour tongue sting, milk paint above reads the same as 1920—Lemon-lime, Root Beer, and Cream. Distant Lady Liberty stern stares back at us as tugboats fleets float past, she holds her torch ready to set us aflame.