I Write Fish Home

I write fish home,

knowing their journey perilous,

pebbled with the danger of maw and man.

 

I write them home

to creek and stream,

to bear and net,

 to spawn again.

 

I write them home

to complete the cycle,

to nurture instinct,

and to validate visions

held by ancestors

worried in graves

unmarked by man’s eager hand.

 

I write them home become someone must

and because song is insufficient.

 

I write them home,

to turn toward the sun

and say I have done my part.

 

I write fish home. 

copyright/all rights reserved Audrey Howitt 2012

Reviews

[quinfinn]

it's about damned time someone included this poignant message in their writings! you speak, eloquently, of a source of angst and concern for me,as i think of the perils and limited years ahead for the many breeds whose centuries of existence are plagued by the greed of man and the many pitfalls of nature. well done and well said!

[Tina Kline]

An outstanding poem with a great message. I really liked the imagery you used, the poem offers much in what it is saying. A joy to read whether a person understands or not. Great work!

[Neville]

This is great. Great to read and dwell upon. Great to imagine and hope your vision becomes realised & Great because you have given part of yourself to such an important but often underestimated & unstated cause. I still keep an eye open for returning salmon down by the wier on the river Tamer but sadly, there are far less today than when I watched them leaping upstream as a young child taking warmth through my fathers hand as we counted them together. Luverly & absolutely necessary. All Good Things, N

[New Dawn]

There are few greater examples of the strength and drive of nature than the return of Salmon to their spawning grounds - the perilous and exhausting journey back to where they began - it is certainly something to be in awe of and you captured that beautifully in writing them home

[Robin]

I like this - a lot , for the strength of the metaphor , and the light that shines into your being ...
We are Writers , we are creators , and we do it - because we must ...

[Audrey Howitt]

Thank you Robin--I appreciate your comments--

[Chris]

My last read was a train's motion and here the journey pauses with field and stream. A Salmon run? Setting on a knoll overlooking a life's time for weary travelers flowing and forging their way to an end. Yes, you wrote the fish - home.

[Audrey Howitt]

These days I relate to the fish--not sure why

[Chris]

Life has a way of reminding us what we need relate to ...and when.

[Phibby Venable]

This is incredibly beautiful & yes, you have definitely done your part. Love your work.

[Audrey Howitt]

Thank you Phibby---

[LA Lorena]

A most refreshing read! Something altogether uplifting about fish, and their battle to spawn and return to their place of origin. This was very reminiscent of a native story, as an earlier reviewer mentioned. It's nice to be back, and it's nice to read your works again!

[Audrey Howitt]

Good to see you back and thank you!

[RachelReaper]

this was a very uniqye theme, i've never heard someone write a poem on a fish's perilous life's journey, which is exactly why I loved this! Thank you for writing something different.

[Audrey Howitt]

And thank you for reading it!

[Neva Flores Smith - Cha..]

wondrous.........this is one is righteously special.

[Audrey Howitt]

Hi Neva--thank you!