About Fishes

In an effort to prove a point, I am writing this without any metaphors

Because I told a man that I could be honest

So I’m being honest.

This is about fishes

And the time I never told you about

When I got my first tattoo for free

Because my morals only extend to where free shit begins

And look, I swear this isn’t a euphemism

I took a bite out of his meat and have a permanent reminder

Behind my left ear.

I don't eat animals, I say

And in order for anyone to believe me, some stories must go untold

But I'm being honest, you see.

Not even salmon, you see.

Fishes are animals too, you see.

I don't know lefts and rights.

Meanwhile, the girl who loves hip-hop

Spits slam and verse under her breath

And goes fishing with bearded Bon Iver men

You see, she catches them with hooks and rhythm

And finds their soul in their smoky guitars

But it’s never the soul she’s looking for

So she falls asleep in knitted socks

Wondering if this is what a jungle feels like.

The bearded Bon Iver man

He has caught a fish for dinner

He slits open its belly

And all the memories of an ocean

That was never really an ocean

All come spilling out

He guides the knife with scarred hands

And collects the remains

Last night, he did this and all her words did the same

Pulled them out of her lungs

And after stripping back the skin

Gathered all of the mess

Wrapped it in newspaper

And took it out to the bins

They breed fish in farms these days

Ocean fresh

Feel the salt in your lungs

How many of us are content with captivity

As long as the consolation of whiskey and cigarettes and peanut butter and chips

Hot chips

God, I love chips

They keep us stable

What an easy conquest

So in an effort to be honest,

I am using metaphors

I have rivers for veins

The fish swim in my blood

I breathe salt and spit phrases over phat beats

And rap under my breath

And each night, the fisherman slits open my belly

Peels back my skin

Scoops out my words

And paper-wrapped, takes them out to the bin

This is as close I get to freedom