LIKE THE WHALE THAT LOVED PEOPLE TOO MUCH

by Lyn Lifshin

she was like that
with him. She was
Luna, waiting for
hand outs, ignoring
the other whales
urging her to be
with them. She
couldn’t move away,
move back. For
years he seemed
amused by how she
followed so close,
made the move to
cling to his body,
seemed thrilled by
each crust of bread.
Luna, not that
different from this
woman who shut off
the others, the ones
wanting to swim
with her, more her
kind everybody
said, more where she
would have a future,
but like Luna she was
stubborn. She did things
her own way, would
not listen when
friends said get on
with your own life.
It was the old you’re
like a fish out of
water blues but she
just heard the waves
ripple, the rocking
of his bed until in the
end, like the whale,
wanting to stay, be
even closer, he tangled
in the ship’s propellers
as she tangled her
time, her love with what
could only drag her down


*Lyn's website:
http://www.lynlifshin.com/books.htm