(14)
Outside my window, a trawler
courses through the ocean,
too unconscionably near,
electronically pursuing the depths,
fraying invisible water.
Weeks now, traversing back and forth,
a giant bead across an almanac
until this radius of sea is rolling
over an immense emptiness,
the last dregs.
Electronically pursuing the depths,
fraying invisible water,
such movement thralls
all nearby living energy
with a glittering attraction
until this radius of sea is rolling
over an immense emptiness,
the last dregs
pulsing into the colossal trap
with belated, flapped-back gills.
Such movement thralls
all nearby living energy
with a glittering attraction.
And schools flow helplessly
towards this laundry bag
of death,
pulsing into the colossal trap
with belatedly flapped-back gills
to feed our vast
and meaningless greed.
And schools flow helplessly
towards this laundry bag
of death
that will continue
until it’s scraped the ocean clean
of fish
to feed our vast
and meaningless greed.
And seabirds sway on the surface,
picking up the bloodied scraps.
And it will continue,
until it’s scraped the ocean clean
of fish
for weeks, traversing back and forth,
a giant bead across an almanac,
grinding chains to haul up the catch,
encased, like meat in a sausage skin.
Outside my window, a trawler
courses through the ocean,
too unconscionably near.
