Ode to a fish

Shimmery scales and flashing fins, Flairing gills is how it begins. Little face, frowning and mean, Beady blue eyes, bright and clean. Flowing fins, long and lovely, This little guy's far above me. His personality's good, but he's demanding. Watching him move is more than enchanting. Darting here, swimming there, He moves about without a care. Sociable too, he's stole my heart. He took it at the very start. He's my little fishie, my betta-man, He makes me smile when no one else can.

*sigh*

My scaly friend has passed on. He (she?) came into my life on the first day of school (or maybe a few weeks later) of my first teaching job two years ago. That's a long-lived zebra-striped danio, if you ask me. I had noticed lately that he had been getting smaller, less striped, and rather see through. So it's not really a great surprise to find her supine over a bit of gravel at the bottom of the plastic tank.

I haven't unplugged the bubbles yet.