6 April 2025

By Philip Kuepper

Featherlight ripples fishscale the river,
in the serene March morning,
as the tide is being
pulled out slowly
by the hands of the moon.
How like a net the river,
having caught a school
of thousands of fish,
so like fish scales the ripples
appear, as they reflect the light.
And the strength alone of the moon
pulling the net over the side
of its crescent-shaped boat
filling full its hold!
Did you know the glitter-
glow of the moon is thousands
of fish scale ripples rippling,
fished from rivers mornings,
when the still young sun
falls, reflecting the water silvery?
And, then, all is of a peace come nights
when the moon casts its net of healing glow
over the wounded world.
Calm comes,
then restfulness,
then sleep,
and dream flows glittering
through one’s soul,
dream rippling like thousands
of fish scales making up the soul’s
river being
pulled, slowly, slowly,
toward the immortal world.

(29 March 2025)