I’ve seen walleyes dance themes from the bottom
proudly showing they never forgot
despite finding concrete obstacles
to their mating beds.

Stoney-eyed fish, puffing bubbles
trying to get their freak on
met with cold walls
say: “not cool, man.”

And, scientists explain
with regards to walleye:
“deterministic and stochastic events
may cause local extirpation
of populations with limited opportunities for
re-establishment through natural events.”

The long arm of the law
dips into the cloudy Mississippi waters
and interferes even in the walleye’s bedroom.

“Excuse us, we’re having a natural event here.”

(Summer ’13)