A shrimp in my egg roll—
my little sea nymph,
transparent pearl,
blood that my blood
reviles against—

In the sea you were
a whiskered fairy,
beautiful gift born of salt,
jumbo jet of the ocean
the nets plunged for,
until you were captured,
beheaded, fried
to a bright orange curl,
served to everyone’s delight
but my own.

Now your revenge is here,
tender assassin,
saboteur flower,
conspiring with the cabbages
to bring this rash:
tiger eye, bamboo splinter,
the red red cauldron
of the angry cell.