vivos et mortuos

the two tropical cichlids in their tank
bright  rusty-orange   gold-flecked fish

the water gurgles through the filter
the fish   almost motionless   are poised
near the plants   both face the same way

rising   falling   in the slow   gentle shifting
of the unseen stream   the motive force
in the waters of their diminutive sea

first one Jewel   then its mate   springs awake
as if reborn   newly quickened    yet I
not stirring   in awe of them both    I sit
caught in a dream of bubbles and light

time passes    days    weeks   busy  I catch
but quick glimpses of the fish as I pass
doing tasks and errands in the house and beyond
they dart about or loll in their watery world

but one day I spot one fish acting bizarrely
waggling erratically   apart from its mate
oh how I try to save him   but all for nothing

two days after the male Jewel’s death
the gravid female displays the same behavior
for all my efforts   she too dies with her unhatched brood

the clear water gurgles still through the filter
but only bubbles and light stir in the water

*    *   *

© Gregory V Driscoll  2013