—for G/L/C
not a verse but a video of you
pulling a fish out of an ice bag
some will call this biography—: father holding
all gifts your son’s movements captured:—you fight
this notion as you offer 10 lbs of love and work
caught in the early morning but your son he never bites
he will not touch the prize the way his hands
shake the way they tremble
with questions—: hands scratching head
or neck or covering mouth or rubbing
eyes or opening to the air the world’s
possibility in the catch you deliver
your son’s joy exploding at the sight
of a fish as big as he is your son’s joy
wide eyed and wide handed trying to contain
itself but his hands can’t help but open
reaching but never touching is this his
mother’s caution keeping him at bay and safe
for the moment as you swing this grand sight
shimmering in your daddy hands
* * *
the white belly of this fish matches
the “8” on your son’s shirt and the tendrils
on his mother’s blouse the white belly
matches this sun drenched moment
happening on the porch here the 1
minute and 28 second video will let you
stay for an eternity here the bright
peaks and is audible—:
Pick it up.
[Laughter]
Can I hold it?
I don’t want to.
Mommy…Daddy…I love
big fish.
* * *
is this what it was like to be a king
proclaiming his finished reign for his heir
to care for you fight
this notion too but there is a kingdom of fish
in your tenderness as you smell the fresh
of its long body as you display its length
to your son:—finger hook
the gills and steady the glistening skin