Dad Catches a Big Fish
by Vaughn Neeld

"Look at that! What a beaut!
Gotta be five full pounds!
Hey, Betty—
Break out the frying pan.
We're gonna have a feast tonight!"

Mom snaps open chips,
dumps them into a bowl,
sets out salt, pepper, pickles, onions,
splashes salsa into a dish.

In the cast-iron skillet
the BIG FISH gets smaller.
Oil crackles.
Mom flips it over.

Dad glances into the pan,
grows quiet.

Mom will have to make sandwiches
for the rest of us tonight.

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