Pompanical Musings....

Blogger friend Magiceye posted this amazing picture of black pomphrets, coming off a fishing boat at the beach in Harne, in the Kokan region of Maharashtra. This is part of his Kokan photostream. You may check out all his other Kokan photos here.

A random trip on Google indicates that black pomphret preparations are greatly enjoyed. They are also known as Pompanos , possibly in places that eat with forks and spoons, (as opposed to licking fingers, ie)......

(If you suspect that I am a pure vegetarian, you are right :-)

Early dawn
on the sailboat,
and they sit
awhile
after dragging
the heavy nets on board,
from
the raceless
colorless night sea.

Sorting through,
on their haunches,
hurrying,
to finish before
they come ashore,
the whites and blacks
go to
different bins.

There is a surprised smile
lingering
on the lifeless black faces,
for
they have heard
differently ,
about this land.

Pompanos,
Black Pomfrets;
Clutched, cut, and packed
into a plastic bag
they go
for their last spicy rites.

And they ,
the Pompanos,in their blackness
thought
it was all about
"Fair
being Lovely."

It is.
Only when all you do is look.
Not eat.