Narcissus in the Water Garden

In their sequined gowns

of flashy reds and

marmalade yellows

the glamorous Koi

adorn the water

at the upscale mall.

They swim

the watery runway

one batting her eyes coyly

another puckering Botox lips

each vying for the favor

of the others and the

swanky ones above

in Gucci Prada,

until the fickle fish

lose interest

and shove past friends

to swish their lavish boas

to the wall of mirrors

where they gaze

at their reflections–

their lovely lips

their milky eyes

their shapely gills–

and fall in love

wild love

they forget to swish

they forget to swill

they forget their

watermelon lunch

until one day,

sequins and all,

they float

belly up

to the surface.

Jani Pearson has her M.A. in English from Cal State Fullerton and has been teaching English Composition at Kaplan University for over seven years. Her work has been seen in Logia Theological Journal and Capstone Literary Journal (to be published 2012).

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