Treasure Bass

she thought she could
hide, her possessions in a fish'sstomach
the first time she saw
daddy cut up a fish
for dinner, she sawthat stomach and
she had ideas, great plans for
her treasures.

shewould sneak a fish
from the aluminum ice tub, stuff
her secrets inside, andwait
wait for the fish to dry out
and who would know, who
could everguess this
it was a feat of her mind, defeat
of all other minds.

yesin love, she swiped that fish
like a practiced thief, quietly
she broughtit into the private moments
knife in pale hands would slit
the striped bassunderside, slime would
slide onto the newspaper print
it would havehappened, but she didn't.

that fish, damned to ice buckets, and
a childwho did not know the art of, at least,
giving the honor of properlacerations
his eyes, immobile colored raindrops, they
stared hard at herown peering windows, and
she could not insult a , this, bass, even tohide
the secrets of her being, those that
sustained her own life.

itwas too great a bitter irony, even
to a small child.