Wednesday, April 18, 2012

24. Toothfish: Their Burgeoning Friendship

She grabs her schoolbag, brings him homework
(which he eats), and plays him Liszt,
explaining keenly—"listen, Fish"—
how hammers, keys, and metronomes work.
He could bust through glass, through bands of
stainless steel and bite her hands off,
but when Gretchen reaches in
to scritch his fins, he purrs and grins.
They share bag lunches, Twixes, Twizzlers,
invent code names.  Their secret call's
a theme from the Mephisto Waltz
conveyed in burps and chirps and twitters.
She sprouts up tall and tan.  He glows
pale green at night.  She grows. He grows.

No comments:

Post a Comment