A glorious afternoon with Max, Kyla, and Sophie, sailing the ocean just north of Los Angeles on Sophie's giant and gorgeous wooden Swedish ship. The winds were gentle and good for gliding, the waters were warm and good for swimming, the crew was flexible and good for steering, and a forgotten family was making amends. But there was no doubt about the ship's real captain — that would be Barney, Sophie's beloved dog, who spent the day gazing out towards Hawaii, across the vast blue bathtub, with the knowing faraway eyes of some great nautical poet who had lived many lives and sailed many seas. As Barney composed his silent sonnets and stanzas, one single phrase kept returning to my own poet's mind like a haunting specter or a distant mournful cry. Again and again, resounding through my mind — "I'm on a boat! A boat, muthafucker, on a boat!"