I stood in front of the fish tanks
The glasses filled with ***** water
As fish flapped their filthy fins
I stood close, near
Making direct eye contact with them
Feeling the feeling
That they had given up
They knew they were never going to escape
The glass boxes
A dead, lonely look in their eyes
In my mind I silently communicated to them
I think they heard me.

The lobsters and *****
Their claws were tapped up too.
Unmoving, but their eyes flickering
The surrender
They had surrendered to
Becoming someone's next meal.

Pink lone fish
Red and brown *****
Flickering, unmoving
People passed me by
Perhaps sensing my empathy
And it took me back to when I was 5
In my bright pink hat
I still have the photo on my wall
And the moment I realized
The fish we had been catching
Were being cut up and consumed
I'll never forget
How my parents had to grab me by the hand
And haul me off
In what felt like a violent way
To stop me from embarrassing everyone.

I was the little girl in the pink hat
With the crooked witty smile
Until I realized what was happening
I think often times in life
I'm the only one looking into that tank
And wondering
What can I do to help
Make everything not only different
But better.