Blackfish

so named for your color -

a tribal contrast of black on white

there is no killer in you

only instinct steeped in curiosity 

 

it is said that the high-reaching sail 

of your dorsal fin tells the future

an antenna to heaven     dial stuck on holy

and even though your eyes are our eyes

whispering a story with phrenic silence 

we are blinded by greed and the tin-can rattling

of our own unrelenting indifference

 

i would have liked to have met you

someplace else     beyond this glass prison

before insanity turned you against yourself

and gave the world unpaid ammunition 

to say that you had an agenda

beyond the natal thirst

to live free

Reviews

[Joiedevivre]

ooh, this has brilliant layering and having started out the reading, quite impressed with how well you translate a matter of wildlife into poetry, i finished quite steeped my self in thought. hmmm… great!

[Girl Friday (Sarah W.)]

This is a beautiful poem the more I read it Sarah.

I feel a gentle and slow personification with this intelligent and beautiful animal that always coordinates his/her instincts and sense of direction... Once trapped in a zoo, and felt like an object where people go to him/her and gaze through a glass wall, makes this "black fish" unhappy... rather instinctively he/she would swim freely in the ocean by dark waves in silence, hearing some underwater sounds of long away boats/ships, eating some plankton, seaweed, than to be in a circus ... or a zoo object... this poem has much meaning, this is what I got out of it... if it's related to you, or to anybody else, that's the question, but you make us really think, as usual :) very nice Sarah. I have missed reading you too!

- Elisa

[Girl Friday (Sarah W.)]

Thank you so much, Elisa...I knew you would "get it". :)

You're so welcome dear friend, thank you for the writing this pearl.... :)

[MsJewel]

and even though your eyes are our eyes
whispering a story with phrenic silence
we are blinded by greed and the tin-can rattling
of our own unrelenting indifference
This is so brilliantly penned that you have honestly left me speechless. Your talent never ceases to amaze me.
:) Julie

[Girl Friday (Sarah W.)]

Thank you so much, Julie!

[Tom]

If the mighty Orca ( killer whale ) could speak directly with us, these creative words would be what it may say, before we capture and incarcerate any more of these magnificent sea faring mammals for the pleasure and entertainment of human-beings!

A tremendous, tribute to a wondrous, mighty creature !

[Girl Friday (Sarah W.)]

Thank you, Tom...truly appreciate your words.

[s y e]

When I saw your name in my RR's I got so excited I actually scared my brother cause I screamed in joy, ahahaha. Whoopsie.

I loved this write and have missed reading you. Again, the emotion, the imagery the flow; everything is perfect as always, I loved this!

[Girl Friday (Sarah W.)]

Aaaww...you are too kind, my friend!!!!

[Horizon K.]

...it is said that the high-reaching sail 
of your dorsal fin tells the future
an antenna to heaven     dial stuck on holy...

I have to say, these lines fascinate me, not only beautifully written in your distinctive voice, but the thought itself is unique to me, this anntenae pointing to the future and the heavens, thoughts I could ponder over for some time. This is overall, such a haunting powerful piece, if only those responsible for this could see through "our eyes."... I've wondered for a while now, why we still have places like these, these inhibitively small prisons where we put these majestic beasts... I try to tell myself, these are the ones who could not live being free... Depends on how you define living... And if you believe that at all in the first place... If it were me, I would rather die free, being who I was meant to be, than live in "safe" captivity.

I'm so glad to see you back here Sarah. Missed you dearly:)

[Girl Friday (Sarah W.)]

If you haven't seen the documentary "Blackfish", I suggest it...very sad, and my inspiration for this one. I'm glad you got it; this was close to my heart.

[Jack...]

"We are blinded by greed" sums this entire piece up nicely for me. Society defines nature as a spectacle, which it very well is, but enclosed by greed it becomes nothing more than what we are...hostages for someone else's gains. Perhaps I am off on this analogy, but it wouldn't be the first time.

Sarah, to say it is so nice to see you again is whispers compared to how excited I am to read you once again.

[Girl Friday (Sarah W.)]

Aaww...thank you, Jack. I'm glad to see you. I have to catch up, your page is filled with little gems :)

[MAC]

wow this is so powerful. we as humans tend to let the world off the hook and in turn quicken our own demise. I have read this three times now and it just gets stronger. I must say it has been too long since I have read you, oh BTW this is brilliant and so are you.

[Girl Friday (Sarah W.)]

You humble me, my friend!

[emmajoy]

The depth of this is really quite amazing.. there's more than one turn to your thought, it grows and multiplies from start to finish! Wondering if that glass prison contains more or less air than outside its confines.. So envious of the finely laid, '.. your eyes are our eyes ~ whispering a story with phrenic silence ~ we are blinded by greed and the tin-can rattling ~ of our own unrelenting indifference..'

[Girl Friday (Sarah W.)]

Thank you so much, Emma...truly.