As/Is







1.11.2005



i took a blue
damselfish out with a green
net and paused longer than
necessary to watch it gasp
little breaths unreal how
this little blue
enamel body wants to
live so badly, although he
might only be clockwork,
he has black pebble eyes
unfocused on my face
peering down at him while
his mouth
opens
and
closes
with heartbeat regularity inhaling
nothing because atmosphere
does nothing
for blue damselfish.

he came from a coral reef in asia,
maybe
the caribbean but he's going to
a tank in tumut owned by a nice
couple, the woman's arms full of
wriggling baby who will mumble
at tankglass, and the damselfish
will think nothing of it
because
damselfish don't understand.