117. In the River of Resolute Fishes

in the water | the world is dark

and we all swim | in water now

it’s cold in here | blood runs cold 

and we swim | with the river 

or without it | against it 

and so we swim | the river takes 

from us | the best of the fishes 

and leaves us | empty 

lacking | the great hole 

in the middle | of our whole 

yet we swim | yet we must 

keep swimming | and now we 

know we must | swim against 

the current | swim away from 

ocean | and toward 

the source of | all water 

far inland | to the spring all 

water | emanates from 

to the purest | water 

for the thirstiest | fish 

today we have | lost one 

of our fishes | and lost 

a bit of hope | a substance 

we create | but cannot prove 

the purpose of | we come 

to remember | the fish and 

what she has | done for us 

and what has | been done 

to us | and what more might 

and we remember | how 

she swam | no matter the 

force of the water | she swam 

into | and through and 

we know she | will not swim 

again | she is only 

a beacon for | us now 

we remember | her strength 

now gone | from her body 

lying cold | in the river and 

we find in us | her strength 

we swim | to where fishes

congregate | to think 

where the nine | fishes 

came to talk | where they 

decided what world | we could 

live in | what expanse we 

would be allowed | to swim 

as we |have always swum 

and we | will remain here 

and sing | with our watery 

voices | we will sing 

for a good | ninth fish 

to make these | fishes whole 

again | and if they are not 

made whole | we will make 

a larger school | of fishes 

to protect | the source of 

our water | and we will 

fight for | our water 

for our cold and | watery lives