Shiny pebbles, vibrant colors,
covering the floor.
Brilliant lights, sparkling bright,
dazzling overhead.
Air filled bubbles, multicolored wonders,
floating up and up.
Jagged rocks, layers and layers,
standing oh so tall.
Coral reefs, seaweed galore,
drifting through and through.
Sunken vessels, broken and battered,
create the look of ruin.
Washed up sea shells, clams and snails,
sinking to the bottom.
Buried treasure, diamonds and jewels,
glistening in the light.
Castles and towers, fish homes alike,
proudly form the kingdom.
“Water, water, everywhere, nor any drop to drink.”
Small fish, big fish, golden and koi,
swimming round and round,
with nothing to do, nowhere to go, stuck in the endless cycle
of the life they didn’t choose.
Everyone stares, they’re put on display,
no way to escape, it’s always the same.
Sure, their homes are pretty, many of them are,
but their water is poisonous, it kills them little by little.
And much like us, they can’t escape.
They’re simply stuck swimming
round and round again.

(Coleridge, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner)