I've Never Seen a White Whale


I’ve travelled the world, laced
by oceans and rivers nearly forgotten. 
Sometimes I keep track of failure
by all the shores I’ve passed. 

I have never seen a white whale,
nor wondered why I haven’t 
before now—a small fish
in an anonymous, massive pond. 

So when I’m weary of illusions,
verse a blank sweep across  
my page or mammoth’s back,
I thrust my pen like a harpoon

into anything grey, pretending
dun is white, life is lovely and infinite.