Iridescent gossamer veils,
Billowing fins and tail
Trailing the body, rotund and stubby
Of these offbeat little guppies.
A chromatic jewel, unique
To the serpentine streams
Latticed across Altrasia.
Auratus rekkalata
Spends its days placidly
Among the Calliope reeds
Sardined along riparian shallows.
Schooled within slender stalk shadows,
Their full moon eyes
Ballooned upon heads, undersized,
Absorb the available light
Refracted, of Solere's fair smile,
That fuels their binocular sight
Used to scan the shady surface
For the silhouette disturbance
Of skimming water skeets
On which the guppies love to feed.
As an afternoon breeze
Whistles through waving reeds,
Liquid skating, a spidery skeet
Strides unaware, to come in reach
Of one Auratus waiting patiently
Which rockets up, an ambush streak
Of viper striking speed
To breach with erupting spray
Airbourne, seizes the helpless prey
Dives back in with splashy display
Among the reeds to dine away.