Twenty Million Fish and I

Of the fish who can only wistfully hope that its beloved will notice it one day.

There are twenty million fish in the sea

Twenty million fish and I.

Twenty million and one fish in the sea

All clamoring for your bait.

 

There are twenty million fish, fisherman,

Cutting through the waves, grappling for your bait.

But there is another fish farther away in the wide open

With no fins and no tail, floating on the current.

 

Fisherman, cast your line a little farther

Fisherman, cast a little closer to me

Fisherman, there are twenty million fish by your boat

But one other fish riding the waves.

 

Fisherman, other boats have passed through these parts

Fisherman, those twenty million fish clamor for them all.

But fisherman, I the finless, I the tailless, I the other fish �"

I have waited and watched for you.

 

Fisherman, there are twenty million fish before you

But twenty million and one fish wanting your bait.

There are twenty million fish cutting through the waves for you

But won’t you come and cast a little closer to me?

 

I have waited and watched for you, O fisherman.

I have waited and watched and let other boats pass me by.

I have waited and watched and passed them by.

I have waited and watched for you, my fisherman.

 

I with no fins

I with no tail

I the one lame fish in the sea

Dare to ask once more:

 

Fisherman, fisherman, with your twenty million admirers

I have no fins and no tail, my fisherman

Because I lost them waiting and watching.

I can only hope the current takes me closer to you.

 

Fisherman, fisherman, I am ugly, I am lame

I am a fish of no fins, a fish with no tail.

I lost my fins and tail in my shrewdness

And now I am afraid.

 

Fisherman, fisherman, won’t you cast a little farther?

Fisherman, my fisherman, won’t you cast for me?

Author's Note

This is a very rough, spur-of-the-moment production. I'll be sure to come back and thoroughly edit this baby.

Reviews

[Mockingbird]

i enjoyed reading this poem. i liked the metaphor of the lame fish. (she?) has waited a long time for her turn to be noticed by the fisherman. he has millions to choose from but this poor fish wants to have a chance to be chosen. it was sad when she said she lost her fins and tail waiting for him to notice her. excellent poem for something spur of the moment. it's perfect just the way it is.

[Jason Dyer]

Wow, the metaphors abound in this one. Perhaps more than twenty million! It reads almost like a song with a bouncy kind of rhythm. I appreciate the deep sense of yearning yet constant rejection in this one. I'd suggest finding a better fisherman with suitable taste. ;)

[Bats In The Belfry]

I agree with the other reviewers. This is a delightfully metaphoric. Not being noticed and competing with so many others of our species, massly relatable. Great write!

[astronaut]

Oh my gosh this is really nice. You have great and clever metaphors, and I'm sure many people can relate to this poem at some time in their lives. this would make a pretty cool song too hehe. Great job and keep writing! :)

[Walker Andreasen]

I really loved this poem. The plea and cry from one that feels to be lost in a see of faces. This seems to be religious even if it's not how you wrote it. But that is fine with me. I love the message in this poem. Thank you for your wonderful poetry!

[Sean]

A brilliant poem! Better than most of the other's I've seen. I like the theme, the rythm, and the delivery. Splendid piece! I'd gladly cast a line for you! *Grins* But that's beside's the point. Excellent choice of words, and the timing impeccable. I must admit, it brought a little tear to my eye. I felt ever so sorry for that fish.

Here's a response to your poem, that came to me, as I read your poem.

"Little fish, little fish, in the sea,
Though finless and tailess you may be,
None of that bothers me,
Though I may not be that fishman you hope to see,
Won't you spare a little time for me?"