Elegy of a Hermit Crab
All that was natural
has mistaken its naturalness.
Living now in a plastic container,
melting every day into my back. A presence.
Uninvited. Touching every part of life. Neither
organic or clean. How is it so, we cannot question.
Existence is hinged on something
that will pollute forever.
Sea Burial
Bellied up whale caught on the shore.
Sand cradles its girth
pipers have gathered in mass.
Below the unsettled water
holds our pod in an embrace.
The wind howls
even the sky mourns.
Grief is a thing, the density
of the sea. We do not
measure it in time because
we live by instinct
Our only hope, it wasn’t in vain.
Kingdom
-after Melissa Lozada-Oliva, Bitches
The creatures of this planet are all family.
Colourful, family.
Exotic, family.
Noisy ass, family.
Sometimes you never even see, family.
Big and small, family.
Brothers from other mothers, family.
Earth, wind, fire and water, family.
Clinging to the trees, family.
I can fly, family.
Enjoy the sunshine on a beautiful day because
it makes us feel good, family.
You can smell the rain and spy the flowers, family.
Always need to eat, family.
Creating nests and homes, family.
We all have our place, family.
Underwater, deep seas, family.
We require fresh water, family.
Take only what you need, family.
We cannot afford to choke our seas full of plastic, family.
It’s not okay to be greedy, taking more than you need, family.
Migrating for survival, family.
The living, breathing and propagating, family.
Life pulsing on this globe, rising towards the sun, family.
We need to continue on, family.
Who has right to reign this Earth?
Whose kingdom is it anyway?
What kind of species deserves to inhabit it?
Family.
