The Catfish Eye







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Satsuuma, Louisiana Pastel


she walks with gnarled toes
feeling eels slither
through mud
made of fog.

there, a tiny fraction, 
light's division,
vibrating prisms 
on water's edge, she pauses,

the catfish eye
seeking hers 
its tale of sorrow
bouyant in the sand.

fingers reach
stroking whiskers, she reads
its colors in the water
fading

change is here
it says
as the light shifts
and her toes grow roots.

copyright/all rights reserved Audrey Howitt 2014 posted for Real Toads and dVerse OLN




Comments

  1. When the toes growth roots you know you've reached the answer..

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  2. Yes, roots indeed...in your opening lines that's exactly what I pictured and I love that the catfish speaks of change...imaginative and vividly written.

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  3. this is beautiful, what a magnificent adventure...and the roots of the toes is charming.

    stacy lynn mar
    http://warningthestars.blogspot.com/

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  4. Will the outcome be satisfactory?
    The roots could also be considered too binding.
    Great interaction between the different factions in this grim landscape.

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  5. Change is here - I thought this line is perfect for the autumn season ~ And I love that ending Audrey ~ Have a good weekend ~

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  6. "change is here....and her toes grow roots". Wow. I am knocked out by this poem! And all of the responses to this prompt. Like what's left of my mind is being blown, poem by poem.

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  7. oo nice...a bit of a haunting piece audrey...the catfish eye...ha...first time my youngest saw a catfish he begged me to throw it back...or cut the line...he thought it was a monster...

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  8. change is here
    as the light shifts
    and her toes grow roots.

    Change is there in time it never varies. It precedes some for improvements though if distracted it may cause irritations. Great ending Audrey!

    Hank

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  9. To me this poem has an eerie flavor....with gnarled toes growing roots, and, oh, that catfish eye! Well penned.

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  10. what a nice image... the toes growing roots mean they found that place they would call home...

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  11. i truly do feel that is the secret of life..for one's toes to grow root with the earth beneath us..no matter if bog..or sand .. or rocked mountain side..the earth is home..a place for toes to grow in..and never escape..ah..but shoes..that devilish device..that separate us from the one true home..

    none of us can do without..:)

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  12. I am not sure why, perhaps it is the sweetness and the innocence that moves me so in this poem, that makes me really love it.

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  13. Mmm.. Me too! 'Her toes grew roots..." Quite affecting...

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  14. Oh, this is wonderful, eerie and intriguing and I want to be there... love the stroking whiskers.

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  15. I enjoyed the surreal quality of your poem, Audrey. Sometimes growing roots is good, other times not so good.

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  16. Yes, it is very haunting--there is a feeling of the magical and it feels as if universal as well a personal change were in the offing. Thanks k .

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  17. What a powerful juxtaposition of change coming and shifting of light while she is rooted to the moment and/or place. Brilliant metaphor. Cheers!

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  18. Change is here...if that alone was on the page it would still be magical!

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  19. Interesting as to whether her toes are rooted to the past or the present or perhaps in some imagined future - or all three.

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  20. Firmly on the ground, thats what matters

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  21. Change is here... her toes grow roots... I love the imagery here. The humus-rich soil will feed a fruitful future.

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  22. wonderful marshy, swampy truth in this, Audrey ~

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  23. Strong images, very cerebral writing!

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  24. Love your imagination and the feel of this poem. Change and stability - that's the process of life. Great write.

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  25. I just love the imagery and use of metaphor in this. As a young child I swam the local river, felt the muddy bottom, the fish brushing against legs as they swam by. You have captured and painted such vivid imagery with your words. Just lovely!

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  26. Lol...as I read this the images of the theme song to True Blood were filling my mind. This had some powerful imagery that seemed dark but also seemed a little hopeful to me. Great pic and great poem. Thanks for playing!

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  27. … catfish eye can't be a good thing - they are not pretty fish. And toes growing roots, here, makes me think it isn't a good thing. Like sticking around to see if change occurs - when one should just keep on moving, keep on living, or you will stagnate …

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