Fats here.

Happy Friday (the 13th)!! One of my friends is celebrating her birthday today and another one is getting married! Hooray! My featured poem today is one written by Richard Brautigan, and appeared a few times when I was searching for poems about friendship. I discovered Brautigan’s poem via poets.org.

It was said that “much of the information regarding Richard Brautigan’s life and death is uncertain.” In 1972, he became a recluse and declined interviews and invitations to lecture. I can see how Brautigan’s life is reflected in his poem, Your Catfish Friend, but I also want to view it in a more positive and lighter perspective.

Poetry Friday hosted by Slyvia at Poetry for Children!

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Your Catfish Friend

If I were to live my life

in catfish forms

in scaffolds of skin and whiskers

at the bottom of a pond

and you were to come by

one evening

when the moon was shining

down into my dark home

and stand there at the edge

of my affection

and think, “It’s beautiful

here by this pond. I wish

somebody loved me,”

I’d love you and be your catfish

friend and drive such lonely

thoughts from your mind

and suddenly you would be

at peace,

and ask yourself, “I wonder

if there are any catfish

in this pond? It seems like

a perfect place for them.”