Swimming with Sharks

by Ngo Binh Anh Khoa

I have swum with sharks,
which is safer than with man,
for sharks are simple;
they smell blood, and they feast, true
to their instincts and nature.

Humans are different,
for they smell blood and approach
with smile-painted masks,
sniffing out their prey’s weakness
and prolonging their sufferings.

Sharks are faithful to
themselves and their needs always
for their survival,
giving prey swift killing blows,
not relishing in their pain.

Humans are different,
many yearning for the pain
of their kin and kind,
Smiling with false sympathy while
laughing with a knife unsheathed.

Sharks remain honest
with their intentions to kill,
ignore, or retreat,
not indulging in deceit;
what you see is what you get.

Humans are different;
what you see is a mystery,
and what you get is
not unlike a slot machine–

all or nothing, randomly.