KATAWA: It's OK To Smile And Laugh

The Fish Who Loved A Bird

by : Lycus

A fish fell in love with a bird one day.

What was his reason I could not say.

The bird flew down its reflection to see,

the fish jumped high and cried "Marry me."

The bird simply laughed and flew away,

"Birds marry birds!" was all she'd say.

But while she flew nothing else came to mind,

save the face of the fish she was leaving behind.

No other had spoken to her such words of love,

not the swiftest falcon nor the sweetest dove.

To the beauty of his fins a bird could not compare,

or to the strength of his muscles as he leapt through the air.

Suddenly she turned though she couldn't say why.

Back to the water she quickly did fly.

"Oh beautiful fish how can this be,

a bird of the sky and a fish in the sea?

We never could marry, our worlds are apart.

So why cruelest fish have you stolen my heart?"

The fish gave his reply, and his words sang true.

He told the lovely bird what in his soul he knew.

"Beloved my beloved, oh do not despair,

though I swim in the ocean and you in the air.

Nothing in this world could keep us apart,

if your love is as true as the love in my heart."

The fish thought about it as best he could,

till he had an idea that would do them some good.

"Sometimes before sunrise at the edge of the world,

I have seen a place where creation's unfurled.

Come with me my love and our fates we will cheat.

Come to this enchanted place where the sea and sky meet."

The bird and the fish both made their merry way,

and live happy and in love to this very day.

Now from the look on your face you think my tale a lie.

You don't believe a beast of sea can marry beast of sky.

These things that I sing, I can prove they are true.

The children of the couple are known to all of you.

A penguin is a bird that calls the ocean home.

What of flying fish? It is in the air they roam.

Lycus's note :

"This is it. My crown jewel. In my opinion the best thing I ever wrote. I wrote this as a teenager, but it has gone through many rewrites and touch ups since then. My inspiration was that old country saying 'A fish and a bird could fall in love but where would they live?' "

Ema's note:

Unlike 'The Furthest Distance In The World' which is originally not written in English, this poem is written originally in English.

Being a legendary poem that has been quoted hundreds of times especially during Valentines, TFDITW is an epitome of unrequited love. Although the structures seem simple, but the vibe that it gives is comparable to Beethoven's Fur Elise or Chopin's Nocturne.

TFDITW ends with questioning the love between a bird and a fish. In my opinion, 'The Fish Who Loved A Bird' resonates well with it in term of words and emotions. It's a resonance between the ancient and the modern. I feel like the ending of TFDITW leaves me wanting more, and this TFWLAB does its job well in satisfying me.

As an avid reader of poems, it's such a big matter when suddenly you do realize that certain good poem somehow interconnects with another good poem. As in my case, i feel like a heavy burden has been lifted from my chest.

These two poems made my day.