The goldfish and the shark
[in poetry]
Once upon a time,
there was a goldfish
swimming around
the big vast ocean.
What am I to do?
It cried in despair.
I'm surrounded by
sharks and barracudas,
of king salmons
and giant whales.
Will I ever compare?
Will I ever be given
the time of day?Maybe
I should hide
here in a burrow,
under the cover of
seaweeds and corals.
Peek my little head out
from time to time,
wait for a moment to
finally shine.
I am puny.
Nothing
but a speck
in this big big ocean.
Crumble.
Crumble.
What was that?
He turned around to look.
The entire sea cliff rumbled.What are you doing?
A big barracuda was staring.
Oh, please,
Please have mercy.
I am nothing
but a lowly goldfish.
I do not compare
Please, my little life you need to spare.
What ever are you saying?
The barracuda said
as it swam off
shaking its head.
The goldfish went about
his lowly way,
swishing his tail
back and forth
back and forth
back and forth.
Other sea creatures stared,
looking a little bit scared.He went about his way
feeling lonely and forlorn,
not realising
he
was
a
shark
after all.19.08.2022 Little fish in a big wide ocean. That’s how I felt when I first came to Australia. It was a daunting world where my achievements weren’t good enough, where they weren’t up to par with what was expected of me. I felt like my flaws were to big for anyone to ignore—that I, as an entirety, wasn’t good enough. So as I struggled with my gnawing imposter syndrome every day, every day I tried to build more. I convinced myself that I needed to act like a bigger fish than what I really am… or rather, than what I thought I only was. “No matter how small a shark feels, it doesn’t take away the fact that they are a shark. How you feel does not invalidate everything else you’ve done and who you are as a person,” my husband said after expressing to him how I felt. How insightful, I thought. But in that moment of vulnerability, it didn’t matter. When you’re too caught up in your head, things tend to not matter as much. That night I reflected more on his words and came up with this poem. Today, I wouldn’t say I feel like a shark. Maybe a king salmon, but no, not a goldfish anymore.
Apo Island, Philippines