valve ink

the ink on your arm shows a secret world
hidden beneath dirt and grease and grime.
a world pristine and pure
mechanical complexity and precision
bathed in oil, hidden from the world,
waiting for you.

a story of knowledge and skill,
of pride and independence.
a private story that you
shared with me.

to ride with you on the city streets
to dance with you under the night sky.
inky dark, distant stars and moon
lights and colors reflecting off
the asphalt's oily sheen,
the water in the harbor,
the glass walls that surround us.

to listen to you tell your tale
a story of knowledge and skill,
of pride and independence.

to watch you pilot your ship
to follow in your draft
to ride with you on the city streets.