Carving the Salmon

I shape this piece
of curly maple into the rough
form of a salmon on

my bandsaw, s fine, sour sweet smell
of sawdust. a hint of scorching and smoke
because the blade is dull, cut

the side shape first. then the top.
And then it is recognizable, a fish,
and ready for finishing. It quivers

a little at the skew chisel, flinches
at the spoon bit. With the straight gouge
I give it eyes, and with the veiner, gills,

and it leaps a little in my hand. Now
that it sees and breathes, it starts
to flop and suffocate. It becomes

much harder to hold. But it will be
a long while before I learn
to fashion the blood.