The Hadal Snailfish

[Stephen Whiteside]

I just discovered this amazing video of the deepest known fish, the Hadal Snailfish.

You can find it here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqLCRs1fJMM

I thought I had to write a poem about it.


The Hadal Snailfish

© Stephen Whiteside 11.02.2012

Within the ocean trenches deep
You’ll find the strangest creatures creep;
Cucumbers and giant worms
That over time have come to terms

With dark and cold and pressure high.
They don’t expect to see the sky.
The deepest fish, that’s known to swim
Throughout this habitat so grim?


The hadal snailfish, he’s the one,
With skin quite pale for lack of sun.
His head is large. His tail is long.
He likes to gather in a throng.

His eyes are small. He has no scales.
Far below the world of whales
He ekes a living quite content,
And never lacks for nourishment.

As I lie at night in bed
Images race through my head -
Possums sleeping in the snow…
And hadal snailfish far below.

[Maureen K Clifford]

Great poem Stephen - it's always great that someone speaks for the underdog - under fish doesn't sound quite right. Interesting clip. They look like oversized tadpoles. Thanks for putting that up for us.

Cheers

Maureen