this little pond - said the restless fish
is too paltry for certain white moons
and sultry sunsets
swimming is easy
but I find no sense of beauty in frogs

is a big pond different from a small one
inquired the fish
still a pond answered
the little new trees little new
summer houses and frogs all around
swimming is good despite murky ripples
but stagnating is not my destiny

is a lake large or small
essentially different from a pond
same new trees same little summer houses
I notice the absence of frogs
but
enclosing shores are not my dream

definitely better announced the fish
when river currents passionately embraced its fins
swimming is noble
in this ancient Tiber

but
these reflections of buildings
glorious and mighty and those
bridges with statues of angels and saints
become after a while
obsessive confessed the fish

it longed for a river with simpler reflections
the Mississippi large and brown
swimming enticing
but
those paddlewheel boats with teeshirted people
distressed the restless fish
the angels after all
it brooded
the angels

the lonely jazz player in a sunless dawn
tried to convince the fish to remain
you relish my music
what other reflections?

addio! said the fish
rivers are good and forever renewing
but their rushing is confined you see

when it got to the ocean
it breathed wider and deeper
no trees no houses
even the moon no matter how white
is small in so much expanse
and the stars no matter how bright
are too far for any reflections

swimming is arduous

admitted the fish

but