Chlamydoselachus anguineus

Caught on underwater camera, rare the natural habitat
for the last of a species, say, close to the end
at least, an animal line—
Must be lonesome, frightfully lonesome that
solitary life in lightless icy depths, injured, on the mend—
lip on a hook, tug of line.

The bulb-head juts blue-grey sleek, freaky odd,
eel-like—me, some throwback to pre-history—
me, a dinosaur.
My spiny teeth like needle mouth, blood-hungry, cod
for dinner, cutting my water way always, eyes ahead to see
another sea, another, another.

The two-leggers gawk like minnows, ooooooh-ing.
Think me a mighty wonder, awe and science spectacle.
Flood lights stark
on my new tank—the water fine, but swimmingly losing
track of time, identity, shark-purpose—destiny to die a dull
death in a Japanese marine park.