Fish Bowl

They fished him out
of a ravine at midnight,
washed in as far as he
could go.

What's your name,
they asked, but all he
could do was gurgle
softly. They gave him
sea water and kelp,
which pacified him
briefly.

These days he's all the
rage for school field
trips. Elderly folks
have their picture taken
with him.

It's enough to drive
him crazy, wanting to
correct them on his
real name, the origin
of his species.

If he hears a child
say one more time,
I didn't know mermaids
could be boys too, he's
going to bust out
of here.

Fish Bowl

But then, he thinks, what?
More dry land?