Whales

Bob Fern's poem, "Whales," was originally published in Short Edition’s September '19 Rendez-Vous. Bob is a professor of neurobiology who lives in Plymouth England. Other than poems, his publication record is purely academic.

After, under the pylon, power lines buzzing, she told about sperm whales that dive to such depths the pressure and low oxygen for the largest brain on Earth is like asphyxiation sextheir bodies shrink and wrinkle in the druggy pressure, they pound sound waves to navigate, the way we navigate a dreamthe giant squid have arms like skirts and dance out of reach as the whales float belly-up, arch-backed like a bolero, to draw them close and blow a sound kiss to swoon them and draw them like spaghetti into their teethand the squid don't care, because they have been loved.

© Short Édition - All Rights Reserved

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