The Blind Fish and the King


I was made from white light and rippling shadow
I used to flit between the reeds by day.

Once upon a time,
Compelled by the sheen of precious metal,
I was caught on a tiny silver hook.
With a flash of chrome and a hard red
jolt
I was drawn out of weightlessness,
heavy
and struck by the sun.
Salty, coarse hands gripped me,
and tore my mouth from the line.
I couldn’t move. I had no breath
I couldn’t swim – I gasped for air –
I pleaded with my eyes.
The sun shone bright
off my scales
And lit up the face of my captor
A hard bargain in his stare – Give me what I ask for.
– Anything you want
– How many things?
– One.
– More!
– Two!
– More!
– Three! Anything you want. Take my scales, take my fins, take my gills.

Three things.

Father, Son, Holy Spirit.
Sun, Moon and Stars.
Larry, Curly and Moe.  A trinity.  A tricycle.


He asked for a trident.


All the water left in me welled to my round, vacant eyes.

I saw him gleam gold as I struck the surface
with a stupid slap
Surrendering water
Up and over the sides
of his boat