Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Toshio Nakae

NIGHT AND FISH

At night fish have a sense
that they are flowing out of the Earth
busily flapping their tailfins
as water becomes scarce
the night is so serene
they are self-conscious about their noisy splashing
lest they be heard by someone
they peer through the night
and come upon a single water-strider
who drifted out many years ago, and
lost his way home
he
is circling about
as if he has no worries

NIGHT AND FISH

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NIGHT AND FISH

At night fish have a sense
that they are flowing out of the Earth
busily flapping their tailfins
as water becomes scarce
the night is so serene
they are self-conscious about their noisy splashing
lest they be heard by someone
they peer through the night
and come upon a single water-strider
who drifted out many years ago, and
lost his way home
he
is circling about
as if he has no worries

NIGHT AND FISH

At night fish have a sense
that they are flowing out of the Earth
busily flapping their tailfins
as water becomes scarce
the night is so serene
they are self-conscious about their noisy splashing
lest they be heard by someone
they peer through the night
and come upon a single water-strider
who drifted out many years ago, and
lost his way home
he
is circling about
as if he has no worries
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Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Prins Bernhard cultuurfonds
Lira fonds
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