In honor of National Poetry Month, I thought I'd share an old poem I wrote back in college called "the city that sleeps with the fishes." I wrote it in fixed verse form like a sestina but with my own special touch. The poem has so much personality, and it still is one of my favorites. It was published in Shoofly Literary Magazine at Kutztown University.

the city that sleeps with the fishes

hustling, boisterous commuters blur finger-smudged camera lenses murky rain puddles line curbs splashing unsuspecting pedestrians

finger-smudged camera lenses cars swim down the passing lane splashing unsuspecting pedestrians bowing down for a sweet swan song

cars swim down the passing lane backstroke, breaststroke, freestyle, butterfly bowing down for a sweet swan song bursts of laughter erupt from within

backstroke, breaststroke, freestyle, butterfly asphyxiated Mother of Exiles bursts of laughter erupt from within cruising and schmoozing in my super yacht

extinguished golden flame of Exiles chemically marinated catfish navigate cruising and schmoozing in my super yacht submerged buildings can’t scrape the sky

chemically marinated catfish navigate murky rain puddles choke curbs submerged buildings can’t scrape the sky hustling boisterous commuters vanish