Ekphrastic Tankas*

by D.P. Snyder

Collaboration

Six is the fewest

number of fish in a school.

Tankas have five lines.

No matter! After I write this,

you'll add the last line: Silence.

Flotsam

All things break in time.

Made or born, all rise and fall.

A woman and dog

gather strange shells at the shore:

Who will read these messages?

Fish

Gingham, plastic, foil:

This fabric creature's cute,

made, not born, rare fish.

Being a body's not easy.

Break, fix, break, fix. Use the wounds.