Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Toshio Nakae

NIGHT AND FISH

At night fish have a sense
that they are flowing out of the Earth
busily flapping their tailfins
as water becomes scarce
the night is so serene
they are self-conscious about their noisy splashing
lest they be heard by someone
they peer through the night
and come upon a single water-strider
who drifted out many years ago, and
lost his way home
he
is circling about
as if he has no worries

NIGHT AND FISH

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NIGHT AND FISH

At night fish have a sense
that they are flowing out of the Earth
busily flapping their tailfins
as water becomes scarce
the night is so serene
they are self-conscious about their noisy splashing
lest they be heard by someone
they peer through the night
and come upon a single water-strider
who drifted out many years ago, and
lost his way home
he
is circling about
as if he has no worries

NIGHT AND FISH

At night fish have a sense
that they are flowing out of the Earth
busily flapping their tailfins
as water becomes scarce
the night is so serene
they are self-conscious about their noisy splashing
lest they be heard by someone
they peer through the night
and come upon a single water-strider
who drifted out many years ago, and
lost his way home
he
is circling about
as if he has no worries
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Prins Bernhard cultuurfonds
Lira fonds
Versopolis
J.E. Jurriaanse
Gefinancierd door de Europese Unie
Elise Mathilde Fonds
Stichting Verzameling van Wijngaarden-Boot
Veerhuis
VDM
Partners
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