i counted 13 jellyfish
constructed from metal
with little purple lights
to symbolize life
or death or whatever is
jellyfish can’t mean
without purple lights

they did not move
they could not move
they were not alive

they were not jellyfish
they were bits of scrap metal
twisted with pliers and hammered out
to look semi-realistic

they did not float

they did not sink

they were not jellyfish
there under an octopus
which was not an octopus

there were no tentacles
only metal bent and feigning the reach
and bonelessness of something so deep
below the surface

i counted them twice, both times
there were only 13 — and on octopus
none of which were real
none of which meant anything
except, it has to mean something

it has to be relevant
it must be

where is the 14th Jellyfish
i don’t see him
or her
— until i look in the mirror

God, no, i’m not a jellyfish
that’s the only thing I know
and i start to cry