At midnight
we put our gifts of
rice and rice wine,
small coins and prayer cards
aboard the paper mache boats,
we lit the candles
we had placed on board
to help guide them on their
journey to the spirit world
then gently pushed them out to sea.

all along the beech
people stood in silence
offering silent prayers to  our
ancestors, hoping that they
would accept our prayer cards and
humble gifts.

on a winter shore in
Thailand.
.