Poetry Reading: THE FISH, by Smokey Miles

Performed by Val Cole

THE FISH, by Smokey Miles

First it was swimming in the sea
Now it’s swimming inside of me
I got just what I wished
I caught myself a fish.

It was funny just how I found her
It was just some wild-eyed flounder
I cast off with my rod
Then I plucked it up like God.

Yes, it bit right on the bait
It was hungry and it could not wait
And before it had a chance to look
It was dangling from my hook.

I skinned it, took its scales off
And then I cut its tail off
Put it gently in a pan
Broiled it till its meat got tan.

I put some lemon on her
And some spices on that goner
Oh yes, it was delish
My fresh-caught home-cooked fish.

I wonder if it had liked the sea
I wonder if it was full of mercury
Or other chemicals like it
That I’d eat with each bite I bit.

Now I am digesting
After all of that ingesting
With reel and hook and knife
I took from the ocean – life.

Omega’s good for my metabolism
A fish, another species, so no cannibalism
And its protein helps to keep me strong
So eating it was not that wrong.

I wonder if it would have done the same
If by chance nature changed the game
And instead of I, the fisherman,
The mannerfish would rule the land.

Author: poetryfest

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