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Cocer photo from author

1. Wall of Fish

Embedded like a frieze
within a wall of weeds,
the goldfish sails upright.

Dorsal fin raised, its bottom
fin seems ready to scrape three rocks,
set down front, over a ledge
that proclaims, “Wade England.”

Its pectoral fin lies flat on one flank.
Its head pokes left, beyond the weeds,
so we find an eye both front and behind.
Fish eyes stare, lugubrious, unfocused.
The closed mouth frowns.

Ever swimming, the clay fish never moves.
Still as stone, weeds wave without a tide.

4. Treasure Chest

Two wood-grained panels face the front,
wrap over the top—once past the booty—
then down the back. “Wade,” like a tattoo,
is stamped across the bottom of the back.

Molded with lid ajar, it’s overfilled,
not, as seems, brown barley and ropes, but
brown chains of gold, brown silver rings,
brown doubloons, and rubies, all brown.

One end holds a handle, stamped in clay,
immovable, unusable, flat against the box.
A trove long lost at sea, this holds
treasure undelivered, promises unkept.

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David Milley © 2026

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Cover photo from author

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2. Tortoise

High-backed, pale green,
glossy head, tail, shell, and flippers,
the tortoise peers up from its tiny plinth,
staring eyes and open mouth, wide slits.

On one side, between forelimb and hind,
words I cannot read.
I find a magnifying glass:
“Wade Eng.”

Old stories tell us
a tortoise carries our world upon its back,
moving slowly,
groaning with the weight.

This tortoise looks like that,
but carries a lighter load:
a reminder of years of boxes of tea.
Time to buy another.

5, Tiny Taj

Curry beneath glaze, not the color of marble,
a one-inch tower gleams. Two short towers,
hexagonal, flank it. Onion spires top them all.
“Wade” is embossed into one end of the base.

Arjumand married Prince Khurram for love.
His second wife, she ruled beside him. She bore
fourteen children. As Mahal, bearing one more,
she died. The bereft Shah built her stony tomb.

You and I have lived together fifty years.
Blessed, foolish, greedy, I long for many more,
to go on forever as we’ve gone on so far.
It cannot be. Even long lives end too soon.

Shah Jahan upraised marble; I have only words.
We build with what we have. We hope it endures.

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David Milley © 2025