I remember going to the zoo 

when I was a young girl. My favorite spot 

was the swamp exhibit. I was the one kid 

that would read all the information cards 

and signs and could stay the whole day 

in that room. There were alligators 

and otters and owls and black widow spiders 

and centipedes and herons and ducks 

and fish and fish and more fish. 

It smelled damp and colorful 

in that building. You could smell 

each living thing breathing and moving 

and swimming. It was dark 

and there was dust building up

in the faux vines that hung from the walls. 

The sounds of the bug life and water splashing 

and boats revving through the water 

were all coming from speakers 

but I really could touch that water. 

I was really riding on those boats, 

and I could feel the insects flying into my face. 

I forgot I was at the zoo.