by Veronica Troup

her mother-self dissolved				       O     o	
 	in a shimmer of flying fish 		                                    0     -
 		arms belly hair tendrilled		                            o      O

  she became					         o -    
 	      amongst their silver fins  			          0o      
     a rare shock of magic 		                        oo  O

     welcomed back to skin                                                                Oo
                       after years                                                               0o
            of holding                                                                    0 -

a kindy class fluoresced on shore                                               0o                                                          
           squeals tinnied above                                              o-    O
glint-wrapped scales                                                        o
                                   		       
she conjured her boys  			               o  o
 	knees in sand, wave shy                                                 o   0
small hand pocketed offerings    	                                           0- oo
     smooth fairy glass                                                          O
for the kitchen window sill		                                    Oo

  	 she does not miss   	                                 O o
those lonely days   	 	                               o0      
                of tangled need 		                           -  oO   
 
	her body coalesced	                                   o  0
                under that flitted sea-arch	                            o
        as the fish returned from air                                  0o  
                             dived deep, lost in light                           oo-0