take one fish,

take one fish,

take one fish,

take one fish, take

one fish, gasping

from the ocean, your mother’s pond, the

seafood counter gaping ice

take one fish glistening with polar melt and          suspended

mortality, cell decay

halted by frost, take

one fish

gently

by the bottom lip, haul it

dripping from the icebox, the sea, the trawler

ship don't slip

with the knife when you gut its red belly

yes it’s smelly, ignore

the stench

there are more

red herrings at the checkout

now: be careful    when choosing

for your barbeque, remember to smoke

on low heat, build gradually so it doesn’t

                                                                                   

                                                                                          leap

except

it's frogs that leap, so ha

it doesn’t apply

lemon in its eye, mocking

its inability

to blink

reach for your drink

take one fish

take one fish

take one fish                                                                   don’t

meet its watery stare

the icy glare, don’t

take one fish,

take one fish,

take one fish,

care