Thousands of sharks without their fins die out
there in the tortured waters – unable to breathe,
and left to suffer immeasurable pain
as they spiral through the depths of aqua marine
to be feed for marauding fish. Without movement
these ancient creatures cannot extract oxygen from
the water, from its life source and in the world they
have ruled for 400 million years this caretaker of
the oceans falls prey – guilty of a bad
image -to hysteria and legend, to the uneducated,
the myths, the whispers and ignorant reasons – oh yes,
and soup; an affectation that comes at a huge price
with all the benefits that high levels of mercury
and hydrogen peroxide brings. So pretty up those
fins for the masses – enjoy your soup and fake
remedies! Butchers line the pockets of those who
flaunt regulation – the real culprits who care
little about their own health care even less
about the shark – or the connoisseurs of fin(e) soup.
To ask that they feed minds instead
of stomachs would be heinous to them,
and to ask them to stop looking for a panacea
of magic bullets that shoot and chip away
at the bricks that form the walls of a precious
Eco system would be futile and fall on deaf cash register
rung ears; despite loud shouts and condemnation.
Bricks will continue to be removed one by one
as waiters clear away tables in corners of
every panic stricken business, high on the
waves of greed and hysteria, deaf to our
shouts growing louder as we shout out
as one to bring about a total ban. Fears of
possible closures and ruin echo in
the same ringing cash register’s ears,
but please, calm down – re think your menu –
perhaps if you simply add
a new dish to be the order of the day,
instead of brutality served cold
in a bowl. Sharks don’t know
about soup; and we don’t want to know
anymore.
What we would like to know is
when will you stop destroying
the bricks so
marine life as we know
it will not be crushed
one by one when
the bricks that
become looser
and looser
eventually
fall down
then the
point and
all else
will be
lost.