Rebecca wanted a Japanese
fighting fish, we found a female
scarlet and captivating as sirens
beckoning lost captains ashore
she named it Andromeda
“Andy for short” and it
brought her happiness to feed her
a little extra life does a lot
in the middle of a wasteland
then winter came like an icy giant
wrapped our belongings in frost
only one of the radiators breathed heat
and the bathroom window couldn’t be shut
at night we’d lay under piles of blankets
sometimes wear our jackets to sleep
pray that what they said about body heat
was true and we’d awake in the morning
that morning came in February
we shook the cold from our bones
Rebecca went to feed Andy
but the bowl was frozen solid
Andy’s life ended in a glacier
it’s winter now, the fish is dead
and we gave her a fish’s funeral
flick ashes into the toilet bowl
and flush her out of our concerns
I heard freezing to death isn’t so bad
they say you become euphoric
get really warm, and then just go to sleep
I hope we make it through this winter
and we don’t have to find out for ourselves
