The Sonnet-Ghazal of the Recalcitrant Fish
Teacher urges the dream emerge—and I resist
her gifts—sycamore figs, a skin of creamy wine—
blessed boons that I resist. I escape by leaps
low into water—and submerge where darkness lies.
I resist the tick-a-snap of turtle song and diving eel
to breathe brackish salt—resist tickles by fish, resist
tinkling scales—such notes, always noting my body
far dips in gloom, purging light. I resist.
I return anew at once—Ali-baba, the blooming koi,
scales iridescent as pearl—I surface! I resist! Rebel.
My teacher catches me and fries me for our school,
and food for you. Snatched in my vigor—
because I resist. Author, what teacher would teach
the student to let it emerge, and savor his resistance?
9 thoughts on "The Sonnet-Ghazal of the Recalcitrant Fish"
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🔥 The whole second stanza, make made me feel the scales under my touch under my touch until I realize I was the 🐟.
very interesting point of view and take on a resistance poem.
you just saw it! – thank you for reading, my friend.
What sounds and rhythms! I love how the slant repetition and formal innovation creates that wave of senses
This is great, and I love “the tick-a-snap of turtle song” and “tickles by fish” and “tinkling scales.” Nice sounds.
Delightful, Manny. So much delicious wordplay, the meaning swaddled inside.
Those fish need to get with the program, tho … 😏
Gorgeous energy!
Love the Ts starting with”tick-a-snap of turtle song” and 😂”My teacher catches me and fries me for our school”
Great sounds and metaphor in this one!
with a title like that, how can you NOT read it?
Wonderful form! And imagery- “gloom, purging light,” “blooming koi”…. Very musical. Very you.