Stone Loach

Gold cherry
Poem of the week

By skinner_jennifer

Thu, 30 Sep 2021
  • 6478 reads
29 comments
 

By day this cold flesh wrapped

in shades of assorted pebbles,

suddenly stirs...slips out of sight;

craving no gathered companions,

preferring environmental solitude,

 

now swerving into deeper silence;

tunnels through river festooned,

deep vegetation feverishly searching

coiled shadowed plants are lurking,

 

cool-eyed glances deep-rooted;

by day needs to scurry away,

not in fear...its shyness;

wishing for night time's resume

multitude of larvae to feast upon.

 

Then when velvet darkness blazons,

stretches limits across water canopy,

eddy surface desolate and promising;

this tiny fish still feeds at deepest depths,

 

invertebrates satisfy...there are many;

sensitive whiskered barbels fringe,

stony clean riverbed this fish desires,

finding its nirvana no journey too long.

 

Free to use image.

Certificate U
Poem
Nature
Inspiration Point (work that responds to our weekly writing cue)

Comments

Submitted by onemorething on

Wonderful, love all the cold and dark and coiling. 

 

Submitted by onemorething on

This lovely poem of velvet darkness and whiskery barbels is Pick of the Day. Some gorgeously evocative lines. I love the thought of their 'cool-eyed glances'. (I hope you don't mind, Jenny, I changed the image as the one you used had watermarks. I picked this one, which is very similar: https://tinyurl.com/s48hx7vr). Do share on social media. 

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

"this cold flesh wrapped"

"suddenly stirs...slips out of sight"

"now swerving into deeper silence"

 "feverishly searching / coiled shadowed plants"

"cool eyed glances"

"shyness:wishing for night time"

"sensitive whiskered barbels fringe"

what an amazing portrait! You have described the essence, character, life urge of your subject in a way more intimate than film, for the space of your poem I felt like I was a loach

I am hoping you must be feeling better, to write this brilliantly?

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

This is brilliant Jenny.- I'd never heard of a loach before. Congratulations on the golden cherries - hope you're feeling better now?

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Very interesting, Jenny! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Penny4athought on

I loved this discriptive poem of this bottom feeder fish, and your poetry took me into this deep dark world. Well deserved POD Jenny.  smiley

Penny4athought

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Hi Rachel,

what an honour. I'm over the moon that you choose my poem as pick of the day. Your choice of picture is wonderful. Thank you so much.

Jenny. smiley

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Hello Di,

I'm feeling a lot better now, and those golden cherries have more than made my day. 

Spent the best part of a week putting this poem together, it was fun studying up on this tiny shy fish. Apparently they're very rare to see because of their shyness, and also because they remain on the bottom of the river and only come out at night.

I'm so glad you thought I managed to catch their essence, that was important to me.

Many thanks for your thoughts and concern.

Jenny. smiley

 

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Hi insert,

this weeks I P has really caught my imagination. I never dreamt it would make pick of the day, so I was thrilled to see the gold cherries.

I myself had never heard of this tiny fish, until I went searching for inspiration and the stone loach just caught my eye.

I'm a lot better now, thank goodness and I appreciate your kind thoughts. 

Thank you.

Jenny. smiley

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Thank you for reading and letting me know you found this poem interesting Rhiannon. It was a pleasure to write.

Jenny. smiley

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Hi Penny,

that's so kind of you to let me know I could take you into the world of this tiny fish. It makes writing even more worth while.

Also to know that it's worth gold cherries too, means so much to me. 

Many thanks for reading and letting me know you enjoyed.

From a very happy Jenny. smiley

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

Dear Jenny, this week's I inspiration Point has proved to be so popular that it has produced three Picks of the Day - one of which is yours - in addition to many other cherries.
I congratulate you for regaling us with a fine poem worthy of the aacolade that confirms what a good poet you really are despite your protestations to the contrary.

Luigi xx

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

That's so kind of you to say Luigi. My nerves tend to get the better of me when doing anything out of my comfort zone. When I was younger I would push myself, but now I don't feel as confident. But it's always a pleasure to know that my writing appeals to people, and the pick of the day was completely unexpected.

Many thanks for your congratulations, it was a pleasure writing this one. smiley

Hope you are well.

Jenny. xx

 

Submitted by airyfairy on

This beautiful piece is our Poem of the Week! Congratulations! 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Hi there Airyfairy,

I'm very honoured to receive poem of the week.

THANK YOU SO, SO MUCH.

Jenny. smiley

 

Submitted by hilary west on

Hi Jenny,

Some lovely and evocative language in this as it coils and twists through the water..

Well done on Pick of the week!!!

hilary   cool

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Hi there Hilary,

I'm ecstatic to receive pick of the week, and feeling so happy.

I'm also thrilled that you enjoyed this poem.

Thank you so much for reading and letting me know.

Jenny. smiley

 

Submitted by celticman on

no journey too long or short, Jenny, like your poem. 

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Hi Jack,

delighted you enjoyed reading this fishy poem. Thank you for letting me know.

Jenny. smiley

 

 

Submitted by Ed Crane on

A very informative poem about a mostly overlooked fish described in a very delicate way. Good to see these important small small creatures brought into the limelight. Nicely done.

Ed

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Hi Ed,

I'm so glad you thought it important to highlight these tiny fish.

Appreciate the read and letting me know.

Many thanks.

Jenny. smiley

 

Submitted by Hades502 on

Hey Jenny, another great nature poem. I like the setting of this one maybe because it just isn't as common a nature setting. Wow, look at the awards you got for it! Congratulations on the well-deserved cherries and picks.

GGHades502

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Thank you so much Hades, 

It's great to know that I managed to get the setting right for you. Little is known about the Stone Roache, now I'm glad I wrote this poem so that more people can get to know this little fish.

Many thanks again for reading, commenting and your congrats, always appreciated.

Jenny.

 

 

Submitted by marandina on

Beautifully done. Congratulations on a thoroughly deserved POTW!

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

You're so kind Paul...put a big smile on my face. smiley

Thank you so much.

Jenny.

 

Submitted by jeand on

Hi Jenny

Such a nice story about the loach. I don't often think of fish as having needs and desires, so this was a good way for me to be informed.

Jean Day

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Hi Jean, that's very kind of you to say.

It's great that this poem has given you awareness to this little fishes needs, I couldn't ask for more.

Thank you for your thoughts and reading.

Jenny. smiley

 

Submitted by Turlough on

Hello Jenny.

Congratulations on your golden cherries. They are well deserved.

I really enjoyed reading your poem. Your words put clear images in my mind of not only the shy but busy little fish but also all the features of the river environment in which it lives. I've never seen a loach ... except Ken. 

I hope you are well.

Turlough

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Hi Turlough, appreciate you stopping by to read and leave a great comment.

It was a lot of fun looking up information and putting together this poem, and it always gives me so much pleasure to know it's enjoyed.

Thank you.

By the way I'm well, hope you are too.

Jenny.