Poem: Please Vote Fish

Published 1:41 am Thursday, October 30, 2014

Please Vote Fish

By Steve M. Schoonmaker, Kasilof

If the smell of a fresh caught Salmon

in the last moments of it’s focused taking

registered, and returned,

in memory and senses as you read this

Please Vote Fish

If the act of catching Salmon,

however the method

leaves you with a certain, and active joy

Intrinsic and unmeasured in value

caught, killed, and eaten

maybe feeding your kids

introductions to primal joy

Please Vote Fish

If what enters your body comes to you

from the flesh of the lands,

and the waters around you,

and the flesh of nutrition has scales,

and gills, and needs clean water

Please Vote Fish

If you understand fragility and demand,

and our past and present paths

into extraction, and development,

and the fragilities of hungers unsatisfied,

the ever economic demands

on the fragilities of our own

Human nature, and our landscapes

Ancient habitats

Please Vote Fish

If you’ve sensed a relationship

with Salmon, and our habitats shared,

Intrinsic, and unmeasured in value,

and you understand the sources

fishery survivals and abundance,

or means of extinction, include us,

sustaining limitations and tolerance

inclusive in nature … effecting

all involvements, and everything involved

Please Vote Fish

If you care enough to vote

and you do understand

You do have a part in this … and,

if you have done your part

listening, and looking into

Ballot measure four … or,

the tract records and philosophies

of candidates up for election,

issues concerning Wild Salmon,

Yes, and Salmon people habitats

shared … unaware of affiliation

If there’s clowns to the left of you

and jokers to the right

Please Vote Fish

If you want Wild Salmon

Please Vote,

and in the moment, solo in your election booth

focused on voting responsibly

and wisely aware … consciously knowing

Wild Salmon can’t vote

Please Vote Fish