(Poetry) Cambria Kelley- The Fisherman

Grace Saunders, The Fisherman, 2020, pencil on paper

The Fisherman

By Cambria Kelley

The waves lapped against each other

on rinse, and repeat 

while the boat beneath his toes

broke the tides in two. 

 

On rinse and repeat, 

the fisherman sits alone

broke the tides. in two

he pulls back the skin of his recent catch

                                                    

The fisherman sits alone.

tumbling in this quiet machine 

he pulls back the skin of his recent catch!

glossy eyes staring back at him 

 

Tumbling in this quiet machine

fathers catch sons with their own fishing nets

glossy eyes— staring back at him

 the sea remained unbothered 

 

Fathers catch sons with their own fishing nets

over disobeyed orders

the sea remained unbothered 

sometimes, with a bottle of wine.

 

Over, disobeyed orders

the fisherman mirrors his father 

sometimes with a bottle of wine

and the willpower to speak. 

 

The fisherman, mirrors his father

unable to bear truths

and the willpower— to speak

dissolved into the seafoam.

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(Poetry) Cambria Kelley - Chiron’s Sonnet