Pike Heart

Early fish

well before sunrise over the French Alps, 6:15h maybe

beautiful pike, round 70cm, slightly frazzled fins

bless you Lac de Serre-Pencon, northern shore

thank you fish-tribe, brother pike!

Short fight, quick kill

a straight stab: heart pressed out...pumping

timeless moment

took it, cut it off the system, put it on a stone

it kept pumping...contraction for at least five minutes

waited humble and silent til it stopped

fish beside motionless, eyes all empty, sharp teeth

Scratched off scales in the water

scales shimmering like mother-of-pearl

in the brightening daylight

took guts out

a male

had two little red-fins already this morning

Head for the ants

guts for the water-folk

a bird will come to get the heart

Smell of fish and communion on my hands

while I write

my heart...still pumping inside

nurtured by fish today

and mornings like this

Who will come to get it once?