The Fish Bowl
By Joni Mitchel

The fish bowl is a world diverse
where fishermen with hooks that dangle
from the bottom reel up their catch
on gilded bait without a fight.

Pike, pickerel, bass, the common fish
ogle through distorting glass
see only glitter, glamour, gaiety
and weep for fortune lost.

Envy the goldfish? Why?
His bubbles are breaking ’round the rim
while silly fishes faint for him.