Six Fish (Five Alive And One Dead) Poem by alexander j watt

swim i am
immature
in blue
my eyes a speck
that time
and science
explore
field of reed
i lie on the floor
gobble water
and breed

scaled fear
i am lovely
and lonely
related to
stone and brook
slimy fanged
guts full
of mud
I am rude
in the sea
in the nude
unshod

i am a fish
my hide
delights the
tide
find me
among
reeds
in a pool
grasp wide
for me
fool

i belong in river
and creek
and dell
my death
is just a
smell
i gape
at your
air
i am
nervous
and
everywhere

feel me
with
cold horn
fingers
see how
i wriggle
in your
hand
you’ll
never
understand

lie me in
butter
or in
salt
left
to hang
i am
piscean
and stiff
and end
up

(2007)