Death Fish in Key West

Scientists describe it as an event In the hot paradise of Key West Condos festivals hotels Dancing feet under bells of lights I’ve sung Margaritaville there Myself Beneath the docks Pan fish spin in the new green pea sea Mad somersaults Alone To their own kind of tambourine Bring out your Dead Bring out your Dead 14-foot Swordfish swish their tails Beach themselves by the dawn of rails Swim in the sandpaper sun’s preferable agony A woman stands by cries and mutters “I’m so sorry” Reaches for his folded-over fin Comfort to the roadside beggar Sting Ray does the butterfly Chops atop the ocean’s surface Charges something unseen beating its wings Battering the space where waves dot the sky As if it were an archangel screaming Stop it! Stop It! To the Great False Prophet Anthropomorphism Animals and plants are as human As we Without fingers and hands to see All creatures speak from a conscience Possess morals If we’d listen from beyond our own shortcomings And denial The Key West fish are calling us In plain language Help us help us We’re boiling to death.