WHIMSY
the madrigal, volume iii
I Spy the Fisher King
by sarah wallis
As the sapphire flies with borrowed
diamond light
the halcyon king flies low and early
over the break of water
celebrates his fish haul, a mechanical
laughter rattles in his throat,
the black eye calculates distance, splash
and energy to dive
the singular flash of sunset bell, under
blue cap and cape,
the colour of midday ocean sparkle, when
the mermaids light it up,
all on their first fag breaks and gasping
for another,
the cry goes up from the hide, ‘That’s
him, mates, all hail the kingfisher
in his glorious crown of state!’
Sarah Wallis is a poet and playwright based in Scotland. In the last year work has appeared at places including Trampset, Lunate, Finished Creatures and The Madrigal (Roots issue). Recent work is at Burnt Breakfast - Goats! - Beir Bua - an ASMR sonnet! - and, Ellipsis - Magic Follows the Few... Her first chapbook, Medusa Retold, is available from @fly_press and her second, How to Love the Hat Thrower, is due next year from Selcouth Station. She tweets @wordweave and you can find out more at sarahwallis.net