The Fish Come in Dancing

the fish come in dancing
iridescent
dark torpedoes
flurry of white silver
spray
as they jump

pulling lines Len says
Christ they’re strong
big silver muscle
running from the boat

nylon brands
deep
cuts on your fingers

cicatrices

your blood mixes
with theirs

the fish come in dancing
50 coho heavy
in the fishbox
off Sangster
and gas running low

clean them to the scream
of seagulls
blood & guts crawls
into every crack

you throw them up
at Norpac & god
they flop flat &
dull
rainbows on their sides
faded

it gets harder to love
the things
you kill

:: Kevin Roberts, in Going for Coffee (1981)