i fish it out of the no-man’s land 

beneath the back-back seat 

momentarily mistake it for detritus

before realizing 

it is the smallest boat in the world

dime-sized fighting ship

speculate about the shipbuilder

know the whole

time the real problem

yet to be addressed-

was it always this small?  

life’s work of tiny men?

or was it once a real boat

whittled down to this diminution

by years and years of sturm and drang

in this teacup full of sea.