The species of fish isn’t clear
After all, it is a cement fish
Standing upright on its tail
Among other fish and various frogs
In the long-dry central fountain

They use a concrete saw to cut him free
He is the best of the fish,
Some city dweller will pay a lot
To add this architecture to the loft

Turned over to be loaded, a waterfall
Of coins run from his white mouth
They are corroded and green like the copper pipe
That arced water into the pool below

There were thirty-seven large cents and half-cents
And a couple of silver nickels, the oldest dated 1843
Did the ancient children take turns throwing at the gaping mouth?
Or did they climb up there, getting wet, and insert coins carefully?

I doubt that they consider anything other than
How to support a heavy yard-long fish on a truck bed
A tragedy only if the fish were shattered.