This Is What He Said... Poem by RIC BASTASA

here i am
stuck bathing on the same river
wading on the same
early morning water

thinking, thinking
exerting force without
moving

there is no distance
covered

on such a work that
is worthless

got the energy but there is
no place for me

here, here is an earth
without a tree

here, here is a river
without a ripple

there is a fish over there
the only fish i see

i see, i see, it is floating
it is bloating, it is dead.