Thursday, August 09, 2007

Always A Meal After

It’s been over two years since a fish bellied-up
above the ceramic castle in our aquarium.
It floated like a yellow cloud over those
it swam and ate and nipped at as peers.
I slipped the net under its fin-still form,
a dripping mesh hearse for the ride to the trash.
Wet coffee grounds to coffee grounds, covered
on a pile of gnawed-to-the-bone chicken legs;
the burial done, time to feed those that are left.

24 comments:

Masago said...

Sad, grim, graphic, macabre.

Don Iannone, D.Div., Ph.D. said...

very well done! enjoyed this pat. you have a unique way of poking through reality with your poems.

Katie McKenna said...

"a dripping mesh hearse"

I like that.... :) Although I admit I bury my fish...

Carol said...

Whatever brought the fish to your remembrance after two years?
You are just too sentimental, Pat!

Janice Thomson said...

Oh this is good Pat! Ditto Don's words about the way you show the reality of things.

polona said...

even a death like this one has its meaning... and you have proved it.

floots said...

life goes on
strangely sad pat
thank you

J. Andrew Lockhart said...

I know it wasn't meant to be, but I couldn't help to laugh about the ending. Sorry :) something about the coffee ---

Sue hardy-Dawson said...

My kids were little so we had to bury it in a box - brilliant poem though you've made the odinary beautiful yet again

Anonymous said...

I liked the line

"a dripping mesh hearse for the ride to the trash..."

Bill said...

I like the emphasis on the facts of the matter in this one.

NINANINA said...

OH DEAR!
dead fish, coffee grounds and pile of kfc bones... I like the vision of the mesh hearse :) NINA

Pris said...

I really like this, Pat. The ending has meaning to me for both fish and mankind.

gulnaz said...

i love the way you celebrate the everyday the common place in your poems and imbue it with a depth but with such a light hand, that it never becomes ponderous. great

dsnake1 said...

what do you keep in the aquarium, piranhas? :)

J. Andrew Lockhart said...

Pat, it's time for more!

trinitystar said...

You fished around very well on this one Pat! :o)

Pat Paulk said...

Vaughn, yes all of those, but life goes on. Thanks!!

Don, just responding to reality poking me. Thanks!!

Katie, tough to get close to fish. I do enjoy watching them. Maybe a flush would be more appropriate. Thank you!!

Carol, I guess I could've written that better. Actually the fish just died and it seemed the others were much more interested in breakfast than their dead friend. Thanks!!

Thanks Janice!!

Thank you Polona!! Yeah its peers could've cared less, other than more food for them.

Floots a sad reality indeed. Thank you!!

Andrew better to laugh than cry. Its buddies weren't too worried by it.

Thanks Sue!!

Thank you Gautami!!

Bill, they are even for us "advanced" upright species. thanks!!

Thanks Nina. Do love KFC, no better grease fix around.

Thanks Pris!! glad to see you're back. Will come and see you.

Gulnaz, thank you for such a kind compliment!!

Dsnake, they are fun to watch...

Trinitystar, thanks for the fishy comment!!

Carol said...

I was just teasing you, Pat! I think it was another well written poem from ya'.

Russell Ragsdale said...

Nice view of the great chain of being. I chuckle a little then clear my throat while checking to see if anybody noticed. Hats off for the funeral and grab a seat for dinner!

Janice Thomson said...

Pat I am missing your wonderful poems...hope all is well with you.

sage said...

well that's a rather cheerful poem! Poor fish, but I like the poem

Amalendu said...

its a nice one Pat...

Unique Designs from Zazzle said...

great stuff Pat!

and the touch of humor makes this priceless

chuckled at "the ceramic castle"
I wonder if that guy gets residuals for all of those ceramic castles.