April 13th Poem--NaPoWriMo--A sappy poem about my fish

I got the call in my best friend’s kitchen,

watching her mom pour crepes.

We found Goldie this morning

gasping in the sink.

The weeks I’d spent teaching her

to thrust her copper body out

through the liquid confines of her tank

for a split second before splashing down again—

a hundred guided attempts clamped gently

between my thumb and index finger.

We tried to save her—Mom moved her through the water

pumping her little gills. We were just too late. We decided to wait

'til you got home to flush her.

I hung up without speaking, walked out front,

and sat at the edge of the driveway.

Dad and I rode home in silence. I made my slow way

to the kitchen where Goldie was belly-up

in her tank. With the tiny net I fished her

out onto a paper towel—around her

a growing ring of water

There’s nothing you could’ve done.

Mom rubbed my arms as if to warm me.

For a long time I watched the white porcelain

fade to grey near the drain

and prayed she hadn’t landed in that place.