Stonefish
Synaceai verracosa
Completely camouflaged among coral & reef
this aqua monster waits
with thirteen spines each chunk a precise needle
nestled between sacks of lethal venom
all it takes is a little pressure for the poison to release
A murderer?
A sadist?
Nay, an ambush predator born to protect its gnarly self
What is the lesson here?
Tread lightly in shallow waters of the Red Sea?
Too much pressure on a things causes venomous release?
Self protection is a death trap?
Yesterday I was camouflaged as a mother
my spine rigid with worry
slick with self-protection
my stonefish tendencies bloated in the afternoon heat
luckily there was no pressure but my own
to return to my true self: writer
A murderer? Perhaps
A sadist? Potentially
When the page pushes down
I am water
I am coral
I am stonefish
Research: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8yJkIuvPvM
Thank you Montgomery, for bringing the stonefish to my attention!
NEXT WEEK’S EVENT!
Reading & Discussion with Vanessa Shields and Editor/Poet Abigail Roelens about the writer/editor relationship and all its joys! *INCLUDES GIVEAWAYS & Q&A!
Thursday, June 3, 2021
Time: 7:00PM – 8:30PM EST
You are invited to a Zoom webinar.
When: Jun 3, 2021 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Topic: Thimbles: the Joy of Editing
Register in advance for this webinar:https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ORzI_8mcTxyeaWHISQhbjA
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
Thank you to the League of Canadian Poets for a grant for this event!
VANESSA SHIELDS, writer 