Interspecies Heartbreak
Love poetry
A whale shark died at the Atlanta Zoo
Tears filled my eyes when I heard
Her name was Trixie
I’m trying to understand the depth of my pain
My youngest granddaughter loved going to view the whale sharks
Holding my hand as we approached the corridor
The smell of the aquarium in our noses
Skipping with anticipation as we came onto the tank area
The bright blue water tank filling our eyes
Sometimes just the two of us
Other times with many friends, many children
Their laughter made me laugh, every single time
Our souls singing at the wonder of the world’s largest fish
The whale sharks gliding back and forth
Her hands pressed against the cold glass tanks
We always brought yet another blinking, dancing light stick
Ate the lousy cafeteria food, two overcooked hot dogs, and pop
Looking into each other’s eyes, sharing the intimate fascination
Knowing we both loved the same creatures
A shared connection between old and young
