Red Mullet
First they said that everyone
although it might be impossible for us to understand,
our understanding being limited,
and we agree that our understanding is limited
and has always been limited
got what was coming to them,
yes
or they would get it eventually.
Green wrass and spotted wrass.
Anemone.
Portuguese man of war.
And then they said that everyone,
possibly by hard work,
listen to this now
and not being discouraged, no matter what happened,
could get what they really wanted.
Sand, kelp, blue plastic.
Wet granite,
little sea bird.
And then they said,
ha, ha,
sea urchin and chambered nautilus
that you have in fact chosen,
although part of the way it works
is that you may not be able to admit it,
no, you may not,
the life
sand worms
and the encircling water
and little sea bird on quick legs
which you do in fact have.
Daniel Richardson was born in April 1941 in Chicago, and grew up in Carmel, California during a time in which there seemed to be great optimism about the future in general and the future of the U.S.A. in particular. He studied mathematical logic at Bristol, and is currently working as a mathematical consultant. He also works as a volunteer at Borderlands, which is place for refugees, or people who are trying to obtain refugee status, helping to teach English and mathematics. He admires Anton Chekhov and Raymond Carver and John Lee Hooker. He likes conversation, coffee drinking and tennis, especially doubles. Stairwell Books (www.stairwellbooks.co.uk) have published Rhinocerous, a book of his short stories, with a possibly misspelled title.