Journal
black goldfish wings May 12, 2018
by Daemond Arrindell
A response to Kaneza Schaal & Cornell Alston: JACK & (May 10-13 at On the Boards) (Photo: Christopher Myers)
enter the fishbowl
you are brown, bald, you are beautiful
objects may be more threatening than they appear
swim at your own pace
what is a dream
are they light and fluffy
what are the necessary ingredients
must they be white, like flour, like chalk
will they blow away with a stiff breeze
do goldfish dream
if so do they stick around can they be saved for rainy days or
do they get swept away in the current
fish food floats up on the surface, by the time it trickles down only flecks are left
remnants of what they used to be
if your dreams have been stolen can you get them back?
objects may be more threatening than they appear
swim at your own pace
tell the story
nail the punchline light, white, fluffy
objects may be more threatening
than they appear
wait for folks to catch up
notice the ones that never do
then forget them
swim at your own pace
in a slow strut like Barack down the red carpet
don’t pet me I’m working
do that dance do that dance
notice them banging on the glass light, white, fluffy
objects may be more threatening
than they appear
“Why is he just sitting there?”
“Make him do something”
can you smell the radar
look at the screen
i mean the bowl
i mean the water
do you know time travel
can you go back to before
when dreams were just dreams
and not blackboards that keep getting wiped clean
you bored yet? light, white, fluffy
objects may be more threatening
than they appear
“Why is he just sitting there?”
“make him do something”
notice the goldfish gasping on the sidewalk
notice the cracks
wait for the little 6 inch man
telling you to go or not to go
fight with the drawer full of knives
blame it on public housing
it wasn’t the right recipe
recipes matter to parole officers
with something to prove
objects may be more white and threatening
than they appear
you look whiter than a board of directors
whiter than the department of corrections
you so white _________
your cake recipe tastes like the vulnerable lightness of spring
cake is tradition
cake is commitment
cake is coming home
cake is a goldfish with wings
see it gasping on the floor it wasn’t the right recipe
when do goldfish get to rest
then sleep
then dream
Daemond Arrindell is a poet, playwright, performer, and teaching artist who is moved most by art that challenges the status quo.
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