Three cars, three minutes
each time, on time, just
in time, to midnight — metronome
for the separate island
releasing triptych cars which drive
twenty-five on one paved road
and less on dirt washboards
where rhythmed bumps punctuate
as fishermen, construction crews
returning shoppers buck and heave
on sand bunched like bedclothes
on a humid night when unquiet
blows southwest and sleepers
wrestle unbidden chimera
when morning is far and night
herons rasp in the silence
between ships bells
and steepled intonations
from the Old Whaling Church
where island women married
sailors whose only bond
was semen left when men
went to whale and women
were stretched from faithfulness
to widowhood – and tomorrow
quarter-to-seven captains key
diesel barges, take sleepers
to Edgartown, each time
on time, just in time.
This article appears in July 6, 2012.
When are people going to learn that the On Time is so named because it was built ON TIME in the 40`s NOT because it runs on time!!! Cat. Sam Norton built the ferry on the town dock because Capt. Tony Bettencourt quit running the Ciry Of Chappiquidick because of a dispute with the Town and the town had only 2 weeks to build a new ferry and My Father in Law Capt Sam took on the Job and it was done on time!!! Thus the Name !!!