Who owns these waves

How do you paint a breaking wave?
You've got to be quick as shit 
with that brush! The next one coming
won't behave, identically or any such.
It won't hold pose to fix the light. 
It won't take clothes off of itself. 
I guess, 
you just paint only waves 
that intermittently fix, adjust 
in mind, approximating the ideal 
you want to catch, because - it caught
your eye, some days ago. And won't 
be bought off, sold, or even caught. 
You sit and watch the waves come in. 
You paint each only one 

that helps you drag your streaming nets 
from this real sea, to cast upon 
the shore, well-caught: one perfect wave 
(for purposes of thought and art) lies 
beached in canvas set in sand, 
and gasps in air. It played 
its part.