The male anglerfish sniffs out his mate,
completely missing the light show,
her most alluring feature.
I think I get it now.
The glow is pretty
but meant for prey.
And I won't
be your
meal.
About the Creator
F Cade Swanson
Queer dad from Virginia now living and writing in the Pacific Northwest. Dad poems, sad poems, stories about life. Follow me on insta at @fcadeswanson
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Compelling and original writing
Creative use of language & vocab
Excellent storytelling
Original narrative & well developed characters
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
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How to Let Go
Bottled up bullshit got you down? Stiffened neck from the weighted crown? You want to know about catharsis? Thankfully, you came to the artist I wrote the book, you know The art of letting go Years of practice We been at this Giving a shit Til sick of it Replacing bad luck —Not giving a fuck So that pit in your gut... Guess what? No one else minds Living their daily grinds So just like them not caring 'bout you Just forget it too Relief don't come from constant worry So drop that shit- and hurry Time spent fixatin' and stressin' Just keeps you from your blessin' Under the crunch of concern Your soul just burns Trapped in your mind The problem rewinds Take a lesson from the professor of profanity Clear your damn insanity Remember you deserve a little treat Reward yourself with something sweet Self-care's super important, right? So let's get fucked up tonight! T-Swizzle said it best Cause, you're gonna Shake It Off next Get dressed up and feelin' hot A fix-all— one more shot Liquid courage in a short glass Then go shake your ass The problem is obviously thinking Like most, it's easily solved by drinking Take a deep breath in and spit it back out Then drink until you black out Gone are the dark thoughts and slurs Replaced with dark droughts and blurs Party it out, bump and thrive How'd I get home? Did I drive? Stumble into bed Last thing before a pounding head Wake up stiff and pissed Cross the old problem off the list. Replace it with the new one. Coyote ugly, what have I done?
By Tales from a Madmana day ago in Poets
Trouble at the Tea Leafing Café
The rain had started right around the time that Annie was buttering her second thick slice of homemade toast for breakfast, and hadn’t paused since. Not that anyone could tell. The windows of the café were fogged over, and with every seat filled with happy customers munching on fresh baked pastries or steaming bowls of the delicious soup of the day, it was hardly surprising. Annie looked around the room, finally taking a moment to breathe after the lunch time rush. Her old life already felt like a bad memory, a part of her history, always, but just that. History.
By Hannah Moore4 days ago in Fiction
Comments (40)
Clever, and insightful! I ❤️ it!!
Just learning about Nonet poetry. Powerful, you tell them -you won't be their meal. This will take a little learning - this nonet poetry.
Pretty, but meant for prey - I love this! Well done on placing 👏
Congratulations on placing in the challenge ✅… unique take on the challenge.
So powerful! Congrats on placing!!
Congrats! Great analogy and stellar use of imagery!
I’m sorry I missed this the first time around, RC! Smashing poetry and gut punch of a final line. Congrats on placing!
Such a wonderful and original image! Love it!
Well done on your challenge placement ! 🫶🏻😇🌟💜👌
I love your nonet - congratulations on your win!
Fantastic piece. I adore the dynamic between the larger, natural force and the personal. Both are juxtaposed so well. Congrats on placing!
Congratulations! Well deserved, what a punch that last sentence delivers <3 <3
Congratulations.
Congratulations!
Wooohooooo congratulations on your win! 🎉💖🎊🎉💖🎊
Gorgeous and absolutely wonderfully written.
Great take on the challenge, perfect last lines, and also good scientific knowledge 😅
Congratulations on your Top Story! 👏👏👏👏👏
Lovely piece
The understanding that the glow is meant to attract prey rather than serve a romantic purpose carries a poignant message, love your works, subscribed.
Concise, creative, and strongly worded! Awesome poem here!
Ooh nicely done. Angelfish are so fascinating. I read in a museum exhibit once that the males attach to the females like parasites and sometimes permanently fuse into their skin… sounds like something from a horror movie 😅😅
Nice reminds me of the anglerfish in Finding Nemo
Wow, this is brilliantly menacing!! Congrats on the Top Story, this piece is AWESOME :)
I love just how much this conveys in such a few carefully selected words! 🩷