Wednesday, February 3, 2016

Deva



Once I saw a porpoise roll within you
another time the velvet of a seal
grey within grey.

Once I saw the silver flash of fish
on the part of you broken by the weir
and once the shadow of a shoal

And once, that street of fishermen's houses 
led down to their boats, their nets
where they took turn to take what they needed to feed themselves.

And once, it was my job to rob you too
- to take a part of you and shake it in a glass flask
 and extract your poisons and unwanted debris.

I saw then how heavy rain disturbed you and made you thrash your banks,
how a farmer's slurry or chemical spill would deaden you 
and how a long hot summer could stop you in your tracks.

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