You Made The Crab Dance! Poem by Mihaela Pirjol

You fished me!
you fished me
out of my water element: —
you caught the crab!

you caught the crab

and you lured it
with love-songs:
you lured it

to open—
to open its carapace
of gelatinous gentleness,
timidity, and hesitation;

and you made it dance!
you made the crab dance: —
the dance of lateral steps!

of coming and going;
of expressing and not expressing;

of dreaming and not dreaming;
of loving and not loving:

of ‘hello' and ‘good-bye'.

I am sorry,
for I could not die
as soon as you caught me!

and I have caused you
so much agitation,
in my agonising agitation!

I was hoping
that you would send me
back into the water,

and swim with me...
rather than enjoying yourself
watching this frightened crab
fighting for survival;

suffocated in a love
unwilling to swim
the aquatic waves of life and love:

but, —you made the crab dance!
you made the crab dance: —
the dance of lateral steps!

of coming and going;
of expressing and not expressing;

of dreaming and not dreaming;
of loving and not loving:

of ‘hello' and ‘good-bye'.