I'm Looking

A long fishing rod
reached out
toward the sea.

Beneath it
a man
was sitting.

The rod was long,
but no line could be seen.

Out on the sea
a boat was floating.

The man
was looking that way.

“Are you trying to catch something?”

“No.”

“Then?”

The man

said, still looking toward the boat,

“I'm looking.”

I
looked at the tip of the rod.

The boat
was far.

From the tip of the rod to the boat

I thought of drawing a line.

I lifted the brush,
then lowered it again.

The man
did not move.

The boat
did not come nearer.

Evening

drew near.

Beneath the rod
the shadow lengthened.

The shadow
went a little farther
toward the sea.

But
it did not reach
the boat.