hooked

the fish
he pulls from the river
wants no
part of this display,
it has no
desire to be weighed,
to be in the pan,
to be scaled, and cut
fileted.
life was so wonderful
a few minutes ago.
the salt
and brine, the seaweed
below,
the thick sand, and rocks
from eons
of the earth turning,
the rain falling,
the blue and green
water
forever a safe place
to live
and love, to play.