They came in from the long stretch

                              of water they crossed,

           the bow marked

                       by old repairs easing onto sand,

                 boards worn by years

                          of use taking the weight again.

Someone standing on the ridge

            watch them steady their packs,

     the wind settling after the night

            as they moved inland,

                 toward the warmth

                           of a hearth fueled and lit.

       .