DREAM

a turtle man dreaming a birthing dove
the dove long and gentle sighing into the waves
he sits frozen on the beach while she reaches
her mossy spiney umbilical chord
down to the earth mottled with pink
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or was the sweet tendrils of the sea
reaching up to her, swooning her down
into the underworld of spongey things?
there underneath things lurked
smiling teeth of sharks
bitter wings of venomous jelly hovering in the never world

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the man opens a toothless grin
and stories fall out priceless and long
he tries to catch the words in one hand
and swipes for one as it slithers away
but it is only an old turtle burying her eggs
waiting for her young to rise and claim their
place in this world that is half sky