Silverfish

I spent a long time looking at the silverfish.
It fell into my bath
As I was beginning my dip
And I rescued it
With my little finger tip.
And lay it gently on the edge of
Soapy soap dish:
But no movement from the tiny silverfish.
Not a tick, not a judder, not a silver tail swish
Not a minuscule breath or a wiggle of its nose.
Just a silent still body
Tightly curled in repose.
And I lay in the bath and I
Wished and I wished
That I could blow life into the tiny silverfish.
But no wish could make magic
No miracle arose
My little silver fish remained
With shiny eyes closed.

But me open-eyed
And alive in my bubbly marina
Toast the life
And say farewell to
Lepisma saccharina.