A few feet under the waves
the old sea bass slow-dances aimlessly
to hoary classic rock radio
from the boat stereo
Dragged up from the deep,
wireline, song, and fish
draped with shrouds of seaweed,
mouthing Time in a Bottle like cargo
with its last breath
before I slit it belly to gills,
viscera and maybe my soul
lobotomized circa 1972
spill out on the deck –
mouths a few final words –
Sympathy For the Devil,
an understated “I’ll see you in hell.”
When you and I talked later,
over lovely fish tacos, you apologized,
said you would rather dance
on my grave
In cherished joy
than sing to a boomer box
casket
at my funeral.
So then call my ashes to account from a boat –
Boogie down in the bow,
Rock n' Roll with the waves,
Twist and Shout
as a knife of sun
mirrors off the water
slits you
belly to throat
For Shay’s Word Garden
Big Mouth Billy Bass
qbit 
“with its last breath
before I slit it belly to gills,
viscera and maybe my soul
lobotomized circa 1972″
This stanza stood out for me. I love your writing.
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Thank you Sarah!!
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“as a knife of sun
mirrors off the water”
This is a keeper.
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LOLOL!
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Much clearer! Gratitude beyond this life and the next for the privilege of you!
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This might be the eeriest, coolest, most satisfying thing (to read) that you have ever written, at least among those that I’ve read, and I have been reading your work for a while now. Something came together here and it shines, knife-bright.
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Wow. Fantastic. Really appreciate that.
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I read this one through a few times to really appreciate it, and appreciate it I do. This really moved me. Wow.
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Thanks so much.
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I LOVE the sea bass slow-dancing below the waves. Fantastic. Then the powerful image of the slit – and “my soul lobotomized circa 1972”. That was a watershed year for me. A really wonderful write. Glad I didnt miss it.
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