The water held onto its words. Letters in light
kept secrets                         sailing in circles

until the words grew impatient
and the water broke like glass

as a whale broke through waiting                behind ripples of harpoons.

Weeks later the sea was still thrashing and bleeding
when a ship called                        The Nisshin Maru, carrying 439 Minke carcasses
arrived in                                      Kushiro, 890km northwest of Tokyo.

My daughter held her stethoscope to the sea.
Wailing kidnapped her mind. White skin.
Unfathomable belly.     Myth.

                                                      Swallowed her whole.