To a Goldfish

In circles life its course must run
No ripples, brooks, moss laden rocks
No dawn, no dusk, no rain, no sun
Just plaintive chimes from plaintive clocks

No memories and no sweet dreams
The water does not dance and play
No tales of fresh and flowing streams
The bright pebbles have naught to say

There are no gnashing teeth and jaws
No glinting eye or probing beak
No trepidation's iron claws
No stain of blood, no evil reek

So are you content in your tank
And will be so until you die?
No one to spite, no one to thank
In Ignorance does pleasure lie?

If that bowl made of fragile glass
You deem your deep expansive lake
Then Goldfish bright, until you pass
I hope from sleep you never wake

For I see more than meets your eye
And there is blood and there is grief
On earth, in water or the sky
Our happiness is all too brief

For peace shall we our freedom trade?
Or shall we in this world endure?
Our thoughts beguiled and hearts betrayed
The mind enriched, the soul impure

No, men must go a different way
Oh Goldfish, we are not your kind
For long beyond death and decay
Enlightenment we seek and find

Reviews

[José Humilde]

Very nice! Pursuing a PhD, It goes without saying that you are an intellectual person. You have a real talent for imagery. And again, I really like your flow.

Just plaintive chimes from plaintive clocks.

I really enjoyed this line. But to tell you the truth, using plaintive to describe both kinda puts it off a bit, for me. I'd suggest maybe using another word? "thoughful" chimes? IDK.

Either way, thanks for sharing this awesome piece!

-JH

[Chris]

This hustle bustle of a goldfish life we live.
Excellent form of course. The subversive playfulness of the metaphor through the piece is effective.
A lot of us are not too unlike the goldfish, especially in regards to your last stanza. Of course the great ballet leads us all along its steps, while that one-eyed light does shine, a thread-less womb.
Wonderful piece of art Augustus

[Fabian G. Franklin]

I had hoped this would be a happy piece! I thought, how sad can a goldfish be? Your writing seems to lead and lean more to the darkness than the light, yet you end the piece with "Enlightenment". It almost seems contrary to the cruel reality you force upon your subject. "In Ignorance does pleasure lie?" Well, Thomas Gray once wrote, "Where ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise" Perhaps that is why in the story of Creation in the Hebrew Bible man is only commanded to not eat from one tree (the tree of the knowledge of good and evil) or it could be true what Solomon wrote years later (There is no end to learning but with much knowledge there is much grief) As for myself, I am a confirmed optimist. One can never see heaven looking down all the time and it would be a true shame to miss the clouds, the bees, birds and butterflies there. I think enlightenment is the lightening of the heart and spirit which brings joy and peace even in a world full of trouble and turmoil. My life will burn like a light in a lighthouse so those lost on tempest tossed seas might not crash upon some rocky shore but find faith, hope and love to guide their way. Just my thoughts.

[Sara]

a rather epic poem for a rather modest subject! :D no, no, joking, i think you do wonderful job of making this something more than just a poem about a goldfish! i adore your serious, reflective style... and your poem's carrying such great message wrapped in some very creative packaging... yes, man is both cursed and blessed in his capacity for thought! but this well-written poem definitely demonstrates the perks of being intelligent lol! great job!