the glass between us

the glass between us

fish eyes, 

squinting through

smudged prints

on the slick 

display glass, 

dampened with sweat 

and children's stale breath. 

'round, 'round, 'round, 

watching from a 

swimming carousel, 

birds of the sea--

floating like clouds

toward a sun, 

barely there

in all that blue.    

the algae reaches out, 

waving hellohellohellos

with flimsy

not-quite arms, 

brushing 

the plasticky walls

between us

and for a moment, 

the quiver of 

a bubble

before it pops, 

it is hard to tell

who the visitor is.