by Elizabeth Reames
He wonders how long
he might have lasted
in the old man’s place,
though he is no fisherman.
Still, he is strong of arm—
the suffering of strain
is no stranger.
In his mind’s eye,
he winds the line
around his forearm,
feels the weight of it.
He wonders
how large the beast
at the end of the line
might be;
How long has he been pulled,
how far out to sea have they gone,
him and the beast
at the end of the line;
the great weight of the beast
at the end of the line.
One of them finally gives out.
He cannot remember which.
Elizabeth Reames (she/her) is a poet pursuing her MFA at Butler University. Her work has been published in Lothlorien Poetry Journal, Noctivagant Press, Kingdoms of the Wild, Soft Cartel, FIVE:2:ONE, and more. She lives in Indianapolis, but she’s originally from the Metro-Detroit area.
