poem “ex boyfriends became goldfish”, a poem about naming your pet gold fish after ex boyfriends, so when they die you can joking say the name of an ex and they they died before you flush them down the toilet, By Chicago Poet Janet Kuypers

[the Writing of Kuypers] [JanetKuypers.com] [Bio] [Poems] [Prose]

See YouTube video 3/13/16 of Janet Kuypers (Cps) reading her 2 poems The Measuring Scale from her book The Average Guy’s Guide (to feminism) and ex boyfriends became goldfish at Austin’s Kick Butt Poetry.

See YouTube video 3/13/16 of Janet Kuypers (Nikon) reading her 2 poems The Measuring Scale from her book The Average Guy’s Guide (to feminism) and ex boyfriends became goldfish at Austin’s Kick Butt Poetry.

See YouTube video from 5/27/17 of Janet Kuypers reading her poems “ex boyfriends became goldfish”, “I Want” and “Echo in my Mind” in the “Poetry Aloud” open mic at the Georgetown Public Library (Lumix camera).

See YouTube video from 5/27/17 of Janet Kuypers reading her poems “ex boyfriends became goldfish”, “I Want” and “Echo in my Mind” in the “Poetry Aloud” open mic at the Georgetown Public Library (Sony camera).

See YouTube video of Janet Kuypers (S) reading her poems “knowing and lurking for eons”, “QLG 647” and “ex boyfriends became goldfish” from her book “(pheromemes) 2015-2017 poems” 8/6/17 at “Recycled Reads” open mic, at a book store affiliated with the Austin Public Library.

See YouTube video of Janet Kuypers (L) reading her poems “knowing and lurking for eons”, “QLG 647” and “ex boyfriends became goldfish” from her book “(pheromemes) 2015-2017 poems” 8/6/17 at “Recycled Reads” open mic, at a book store affiliated with the Austin Public Library.

ex boyfriends
became goldfish
Janet Kuypers
2/25/16
I’ve always tried to care for others.
I don’t know, maybe that’s why
in my studio one room apartment
I kept a six inch snifter
for a pet goldfish or two.
Because really,
if I had to live in that small a place,
then so could a goldfish.
And since I like my liquor,
they could live in a big liquor glass,
what a bargain.
Since I had no money,
I’d go to the giant pet store
and splurge on twenty cent feeder fish
for pets.
And no, I wouldn’t get too close
with the fish, replaceable with a single coin...
But it would make me sad
when they died.
I brought them home to be with me,
I spared them the hunt
from a hungry predator.
I extended their lives.
I was trying to be noble.
But when I saw how cruel the world was,
and when I saw my replaceable fish die,
I decided
right then and there
to name my future fish
after ex boyfriends.
You know, just so,
when the time came,
I could say,
“Oh, Toby’s dead.” Flush.
“Oh, Bill’s dead.”
He was a fat fish. Flush.
“Oh, Steve’s dead.” Flush.
“Oh, Matt’s dead.”
You know, he was an angry fish.
Never seemed happy in that bowl.
Flush.
It may seem
a sad state
to use this
to cope with pain.
But this was my first chance
to be able to smile at death...
Its not like the fish ever cared.
And the exes ever knew.

my hand to an anim of jkchair