Caribbean Reef Shark

A watery home.

Moonlight seasons the Atlantic shore.

Cold glimmers of green in glistening grey and blue.

It’s time for the kelp and seagrass to dance on the ocean floor

As the Caribbean Reef Shark glides straight through.

Look at your eyes, why are you so sad?

Ancient loner of the aquatic world.

Were they rough on you when they snatched your fin

And tagged you with an electrical pin?

Gather round they cry! Let me tell you a thing or two.

Let me tell you something about this creature

That we have been studying frantically about.

The Caribbean Reef Shark

Through academic history,

Their behaviour,

Their ecology remains largely a mystery.

It is rare that this Shark will attack

Unless provoked of course,

But the collectors of the sea will still capture with force.

Poor thing.

Look at your eyes, you are so sad!

The heavy-bodied fish,

Your shimmer is a silver

Now neglected grey

Hints of bronze on your scales

A reflective speck

And a lingering trail.

FLEE FRIGHTENED FISH!

It is not your desire to interact.

It is not your desire to be caught,

It is not your desire for them to extract

Your very flesh and conscious organs

For their own to play and spoil,

Either for study or for potion

That they bring to observe and to boil,

Or sell your essence to capitalism;

Your liver oil.

Look at their lips of reds and pinks.

Who knew poor shark that your legacy is a rosy kiss

That makes them go weak in the knees.

A flirty wink.

How their face shimmer with bronzer from the bronze of your scale.

You’re the target of affection,

Trapped in make-up bottles in every single retail shop.

You are dear Shark a desired crop, there is no escaping it.

Do they recognise our intelligence?

Of course they do.

That is why with such pleasure they hunt and dissect you.

You are now committed to the advancement of greater minds

Precious Shark, you are a gift Scientific Welfare gave to Vanity one lustful night

And in the heat of secretive passion,

A bright idea came:

“Let us invite Corporate to our successful play

And make a lot of money from a threesome game!”

As a result,

Beyond the health isle,

Lingering under the beauty sign

The Caribbean Reef Shark is in a bottle with colourful labels

And guidelines written by men spinning old wives’ tales.