You never know what to expect in the underworld.
Take today. I swim out past the wastelands
Where the discarded crab shells litter the floor,
Like so many abandoned tanks on the roadside
Then, Bang! I’m into a victory tickertape fish parade
Shiney slithers spin and shimmer in the morning light
And it sparks inside an instant mood change
From sodden apathy to uncontrollable delight
I’m crowdsurfing inside a shattering mirrorball
That self-repairs behind my scattergun crawl
My hands reach deep to hungrily scoop
The quicksilver ice cream through the soup
But it evades me in mexican waves
Not that I care. I’m just thrilled that
I’ve somehow managed to gatecrash
The best fish disco in town.
And I’m putting it out there
Trying to fit in, dressed down in a pair of
Off-key, black ivory trunks – the elephant in the room
Oh what a feeling! dancing on a glass ceiling
I’m strutting my stuff. Won’t stop ‘til I get enough
Waving my hands in the air.
Waving them around like I just don’t care
Legs akimbo, I’m Dad dancing
A thousand eyes analyse my every move.
‘What is he like?’
‘Why’s he wearing shades indoors?’
‘Is that a condom on his head?’
‘Some people don’t have a clue!’
I’m above the fish lass whispers
I float, float on.
And then I’m gone.
When I return, the party has moved on
For a minute there, I felt I truly belonged
But treading water gets you nowhere.
Still, I had a whale of a time