The Aquarium’s Warrior
by Liam Wei, Mentone Grammar
Years 5 – 6 Written Poetry Finalist
(Inspired by ‘The Dream of the Thylacene’ by Margaret Wild)
Enclosed am I, in a cage of hard glass, hot snow
Knock.
Shudder.
Splash!
Know you not, my soul is desperate to dive deep in the Antarctic oceans
See the fashion in the air as I flip in
See me dance with strings of water.
Waiting am I, in a cage of hard glass, hot snow.
Whimper.
Cry.
Quake.
Know you not, my eyes are for seeing the world myself.
I have seen how you treat us animals in this place you make us call home, what we call jail.
See me protect the young, help the elder, and stand by friends.
Desperate am I, in a cage of hard glass, hot snow.
Empty,
Cold,
Afraid.
Know you not, my beak is for catching fish, see me track and the way I throw like a spear,
See me feed until the last is fed.
Hush now, dive one very last time.
Take in the moment, shake the last of hands
Lie down and rest as long as you want.
Hopeless am I, trapped in a cage of hard glass, hot snow
With no-one to cry a tear for me.
Breathe.
Thump.
Shuffle.
Stop.
Helping am I.