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John William Tuohy lives in Washington DC

Your Catfish Friend

 

When I was a teenager, I owned all of Brautigan’s books. I thought he was great. His poems reflected what he was, a sixties poet from the working class. Critics have really pounced on him  in recent years finding his work childish and simplistic. And their right but that’s the entire point of his writing. Sort of a “Poet about nothing”

 

Your Catfish Friend

Richard Brautigan

If I were to live my life

in catfish forms

in scaffolds of skin and whiskers

at the bottom of a pond

and you were to come by

   one evening

when the moon was shining

down into my dark home

and stand there at the edge

   of my affection

and think, “It’s beautiful

here by this pond. I wish

   somebody loved me,”

I’d love you and be your catfish

friend and drive such lonely

thoughts from your mind

and suddenly you would be

   at peace,

and ask yourself, “I wonder

if there are any catfish

in this pond? It seems like

a perfect place for them.”