The Humble Sardine

a poem by Jan Oskar Hansen

Silver shadows dance macabre in the sea of fear,
turning, weaving like an electric current seen,
but always following a natural law laid down millions of years ago.
This they know too man,
dolphins and sharks,
thus silver shadows feed the multitude.
Those who study life in oceans,
gloomily talk of scarce resources,
it doesn’t look like that to me,
so dance synchronized
and with great élan for tonight
five of you’ll sizzle in my frying pan.