Paper fish

A variation on another poem I wrote.

With metallic clouds,

darkness gathers.

From the tumbling sky,

my shoulders splatter.

Street puddles boil

and gutters clatter,

while bullfrogs assert:

What does it matter?

The vat in the sky is now released

to soggy sidewalks and mirrored streets.

And neon lights flaunt lucent streaks.

Had water been wine, could I serve a feast?

For today,

I compare myself to a corporate fish

whose shoes go squeak

and swoosh and swish

near buildings that sit

like sunken ships.

So I'll mop up my misery

and swim away

through chlorinated walkways

this wet Wednesday.

It's down to a drizzle,

though come what may,

I'm a sidewalk fish

in this city today.

Reviews

[Ern M. Yoshimoto]

i felt quite a rush reading this - there was something a bit fun and exciting about it. while you are describing a bad day, i sit in the comfort of my warm home hearing about it, and had a little laugh at your expense!
but it was a very-well told narrative. 'to soggy sidewalks and mirrored streets'; 'shoes go squeak and squeal and swish'; 'I'm a sidewalk fish' and so many more lines i just adored. the say turn your pain into poetry, and this you have done. the very irksome feeling of walking through the rain - especially after just finishing work: it's awful. but here you've rendered it into a verse full of spark and irony.

[Marie]

You have captured a downpour very poetically and artistically in this wonderful poem, dear R... I love the rain, the sound of it, the scent of it, the feel of it on my skin too. A beautifully penned and depicted poem. I love the final two lines in the poem:
"I'm a sidewalk fish
in this city today".
It's a gem!
I so enjoyed reading. Thank you for sharing, dear R...

[Relic]

Thank you very much, Marie.

[Marie]

Most welcome always, dear R...

[Victor D. Lopez]

For some reason I detest rain in the city, but don't mind it in the country. I think in part it is because it accentuates the unnatural environment in what are too often grey streets in the best of circumstances. I also wear suits to work but jeans and t-tops for the most part in the country where the rain is absorbed by the thirsty earth to bring forth sweet tendrils reaching for the sun, rather than accumulating by the curve awaiting a bus, truck or car passing by to bathe in once clean water innocent bystanders.

Really like the imagery in your poem, Relic, and my toes curl uncomfortably at the memory of squeaky, squishy shoes discomfort.

[Relic]

Thanks for a great comment, Victor. Much appreciated. :)

[Poetic Beauty]

While I actually like the feel of rain and I don’t mind playing around in it; I definitely do not like soggy squeaky shoes. I also don’t like my clothes sticking to me. If I have on short and a thin shirt it’s fine but if I’m in work clothes forget it lol

[Relic]

haha, I remember playing kick the can with a friend in a torrential downpour outside high school before we went back in. haha We were soaked to the bone but he's gone now and I'm glad I have that memory.

Thanks for your thoughts, PB. :)

[Poetic Beauty]

You are welcome and I’m glad you have the fond memory of being soaked sitting through school because of a game of kick the can with a dear friend.

[Thomas W Case]

Excellent work. Great rhyming. This evoked memories for me. When I was a kid I wouldn't go in the water, lakes, ponds, etc...Only pools. Great work.

[Relic]

Funny, I was the same. Thanks, Thomas. :)

[Fabian G. Franklin]

Well, don't go swimming up any rapids to spawn. It's a trap I say! ;) This was great. I enjoyed.

[Relic]

lol Thank you, Fabian.

[W. Barrett Munn]

This is an interesting sonic experience. I don't think it is meant to be understood but to be innervated by, moved by, or just get high by. I think it is good to just follow the sound. Sometimes it really means something. Other times, it still does but it keeps it a secret.

[Relic]

Thank you for your comment, W. :)

[Robert Trakofler]

I always wondered what is the best bait for sidewalk fish? Perhaps a promissory note or a brooks brothers suit I could never figure it out:/ Oh well it doesn't matter I haven't had a fishhook for many years I do enjoy dropping a line every now and again tho:) I love your imagery in this one my dear old friend don't know how I missed it:/ brilliant piece!!!!

[Relic]

Much appreciated, Robert. Thank you.

[John the Baptist]

If you got all this imagery from a storm, I can't imagine what you would do with a hurricane.

[Relic]

haha, There'd be destructive lines all over the page. Thanks, John.

[Temperance]

What a great spin on a rainy day. Entertaining read. Nicely done. Temp

[Relic]

Thank you, Temp.