gentle, organic, standards, odour, moisture, “20 years”, noses, pregnant, gloves, high
The Fish Market
Memories of Hoi An 2008.
The streets are a jungle—
A constant dance between
Eager sellers and reluctant buyers.
Suits? Shoes? Watches?
Less-than-subtle pressure.
“You want a coffee, Mister?
Euphemism. Caveat emptor.
Step into the fish market—
A different world.
Like a jelly fish, you glide
Unseen and unwanted.
The nose sees it first—
Odours, fishy but fresh.
Organic in the best sense.
Vendors, mostly women,
Sit cross-legged on the floor—
The young, the old, children—
In gloves, aprons,
Classic bamboo hats.
Lots of running water,
Everything is wet.
Fish are scaled, filleted
Stacked and sold.
The tourist is invisible.
None buy fish
So none are noticed.
They drift, observers,
In a different world.
Outside, pleading eyes
And sugared words
Await their return.
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As is so often the case your poem tugs at my heart. Thank you for joining us again.
ReplyDeleteMmmm...the fish nets of my heart...thank you.
DeleteVery well done, and easy to visualize. I felt as if I were one of the invisibles there.
ReplyDeleteSuch a great job. Very evocative.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
DeleteVery good - and very prescient, as another blogger I follow was at the Zanzibar fish markets in her post today and I could visualise your words with her pictures and descriptions.
ReplyDeletePhase of the moon, maybe...? Thank you.
DeleteYou're so good at painting vivid pictures!
ReplyDeleteThank you.
DeleteUna descripció perfecta d'aquest mercat.
ReplyDeleteBona feina!
Gràcies.
DeleteLove the contrast. If not for the fish odor I'd be tempted to spend much more time in the market where I was "invisible" until ready to buy!
ReplyDeletePris cilla King
I get such a clear image of the scene
ReplyDeleteReminds me very much of all the coastal fish markets in Thailand, which isn't too far away. Sometimes when I'm walking around these kinds of places I have to tell myself 'I live here' and feel an urge of superiority over the 'lowly' tourist!
ReplyDeleteTrue, the sellers approach the buyers with sugary words, but the latter face away. Topic of the time.
ReplyDeleteSuch a clear image, I could even smell the fish!
ReplyDelete