to a pond
and watch it settle
the new territory
bloat to fill the trench
skim the floor
with its mouth
like a child looking
up to the lord
watch how all matter of critter
up and vanish until
that pond is cleaned of life
catfish have been known
to barb the foot of
ducklings
pull the bird
from its heaven
gulp it down
feather and beak
honest to god
and sure enough
that weekend or the next
you’ll see a couple of boys
go out after it
luring the fish from
its hole with the meat
of their fists
Lizzy Petersen is from Saint Louis, where she works in public media and directs the student-run publication Outside Literary Magazine. Her poetry can be found in december, Pinch, and Ninth Letter. She is currently an Interchange Fellow for Mid America Arts Alliance and a resident artist for the Kranzberg Arts Foundation.
