We sat behind the fish tank
in a dark corner of the bar
drinking Tokyo teas.
The effervescent blue lights
drowned your face
and made you look sad.
I reached for your hand,
But you looked away.
I traced my fingers along the glass instead,
and watched the fish glide aimlessly,
bobbing between artificial bubbles.
They opened their mouths for a moment,
as if to speak
of something that had been on their mind,
then closed their lips, thinking better of it.
I wondered if they knew they were trapped.
You said they didn’t have the brain capacity to understand.
I sipped my drink and smiled,
the crushing bitterness coated my mouth.
Through the fish tank,
On the other side of the bar
A couple talked,
their fingers intertwined.
Two lips nibbled each other
in a blissful sea of people.