on waking this morning..

i
wake

first light
birds singing

half dreaming still
of seawater
and velvet ocean swells

i
open my eyes

truly
there are
goldfish
in my water glass

one has escaped
swimming free

come on
he says
it's easy to escape
it's so wonderful out here..

a spectral figure
white
lying
still
surreal

i rub my eyes
am i still dreaming?

it's just
a Kleenex box
of
tissues
with goldfish

one crumpled tissue

and an empty glass