Genesseret

Writhing fish of speckled face talked excitedly:
“The one of whom our fathers spoke has come
again to visit us—he who hovered on the Surface
and we jumped for joy.” Forgotten memories of a
blind happiness, when our cold blood was warmed
and we felt our scales tingle.

“Come now, brothers! Come; let us fly to his net!
Ecstatically let us jump above the waterless plane, always
Careful to stay within the rope-chains!”

On the dappling surface shines a face, a face
Brown as trout, furiously bright as the swordfish,
Fiercer than the shark, and older and kinder than
The grandfather blue whale.

And the turbid waters calm
And the silent silver arrows
Forget that they are more than fish.