Wednesday, December 15, 2021

Akumal

Francisco the turtle
Brought us the turtles
Or at least the heart
That shines out of their eyes

Below the snorkel line
Of inexperienced floaters
From the world over
Who tumbled through the pat-downs

And hands out to land 
On this pristine sand
Clotted with life jackets,
An ecological preserve, it's called, 

The turtles nearly captured in their shells
Nibbling the sea grass
And drinking the air
In a cage of eyes.

The camera that we lost
Not near enough a cost
For the need to seek the turtle
Outside one's being,

The need to say hello
To the alien
Instead of greeting it within,
Brush stroked face and all.