We paddled for miles
to this small island
and were walking the tidewrack
to shake out our legs.
We came upon a pale carcass, something fishy,
its skeleton pulled free of the skin,
turning it inside out,
attached only at the base of the spine,
and mangled beyond recognition.
It stank and flies rose off it.
I stepped back, repulsed,
and moved away, already done [...]