THE EXONERATED SEA GRAPE
I saw a solitary sea grape
drop from a nearby tree,
sliding down the wet sand,
coming to rest near me.
I gently nudged it on its way
down that slope to the sea,
feeling a sense of virtue
in sharing its liberty.
But when it mounted
floating freely,
bobbing gently,
on its journey,
gaping mouths of
hungry fishes,
greedily vicious,
snapped at the seed!
Then there exploded in
rapid succession
a spewing forth of
the unpalatable pod,
dispatching now
a cruising killer
sent forth by some
litigious god.
Its snarling, snapping
steel jaws closed,
severing neatly,
slicing cleanly,
several tails.
The out of the froth and blood
the seed was freed at last:
gently bobbing,
floating freely–
Unreguarded…