AQUARIUM

 

I dreamt of an aquarium

fixed into my back,

a miniature box

with tetras and an angel fish,

its glass sunk deep

instead of memories;

I had to ask each day

if they were still alive,

framed there

in that wall of flesh.

It was necessary

to watch out for these

delicate creatures, cradle

this transparent cube of life

while treading carefully

to avoid spillage

as police tracked me

through the rain-washed streets

of a dismal foreign town.

Why? I asked.

Your just the kind, they said

A typical demeanour

that gets us to our feet

every time.

 

The Blue Nib. Issue 36, December 2018. Editor David Kavanagh.