Please Vote Fish
By Steve M. Schoonmaker, Kasilof
If the smell of a fresh caught Salmon
in the last moments of it’s focused taking
registered, and returned,
in memory and senses as you read this
Please Vote Fish
If the act of catching Salmon,
however the method
leaves you with a certain, and active joy
Intrinsic and unmeasured in value
caught, killed, and eaten
maybe feeding your kids
introductions to primal joy
Please Vote Fish
If what enters your body comes to you
from the flesh of the lands,
and the waters around you,
and the flesh of nutrition has scales,
and gills, and needs clean water
Please Vote Fish
If you understand fragility and demand,
and our past and present paths
into extraction, and development,
and the fragilities of hungers unsatisfied,
the ever economic demands
on the fragilities of our own
Human nature, and our landscapes
Ancient habitats
Please Vote Fish
If you’ve sensed a relationship
with Salmon, and our habitats shared,
Intrinsic, and unmeasured in value,
and you understand the sources
fishery survivals and abundance,
or means of extinction, include us,
sustaining limitations and tolerance
inclusive in nature … effecting
all involvements, and everything involved
Please Vote Fish
If you care enough to vote
and you do understand
You do have a part in this … and,
if you have done your part
listening, and looking into
Ballot measure four … or,
the tract records and philosophies
of candidates up for election,
issues concerning Wild Salmon,
Yes, and Salmon people habitats
shared … unaware of affiliation
If there’s clowns to the left of you
and jokers to the right
Please Vote Fish
If you want Wild Salmon
Please Vote,
and in the moment, solo in your election booth
focused on voting responsibly
and wisely aware … consciously knowing
Wild Salmon can’t vote
Please Vote Fish
