Pushcart 2026 L: Joanna Kavenna, “The Beautiful Salmon” from Paris Review #247

Egon Schiele: “Agony” (detail) I’ve always loved salmon. Not to eat, as I don’t eat fish, but I’ve always loved salmon in general because salmon jump and no one knows why. They jump all over the place—out of rivers, up waterfalls. Some say they jump to clean their gills. Others say they jump for joy, because they love the smell of fresh rainwater. Still others say they jump to view their territory. It is certain that the salmon are jumping, but there is no absolute certainty as to why they jump. You could say that this is true of many things. We are certain we are alive, but we are uncertain why. We are certain we are conscious, but we are uncertain why. Almost all “why” questions draw you into a realm of uncertainty, from why salmon jump to why we live and die. This story is partly about a beautiful salmon, and partly about the question of uncertainty. This was a fun read. That’s sort of an odd thing to say about a story that, for all its goofiness, has a heart-wrenching moment at…