Magdalena Bay

Early light bleeds up,
stains the edge of night.
Early seekers with heavy jackets,
life vests, cameras, and binoculars
enter the swollen Zodiacs,
dark like the whales they seek to spy,
thirst to touch, to feel, to know.

The long, crusted, undulating shape
casts exhalations high,
lifts a massive head
to spy.