We like to share a lot of news on this here blog, most of it pertaining to new species, rare fish, exciting equipment, some occasional ocean science and artworks but real bonafide poetry is notably absent. In an effort to rectify this situation and to bring more culture to the overly macho reef scene, here’s a beautiful, thoughtful poem from Kevin Zelnio of The Other 95% blog on marine invertebrates.
The words to “Solitary Coral” are actually the lyrics to a ‘Spineless Song’ but since we can’t seem to track down that audio file, here the song is presented as a poem about the life of being a single corallite and polyp in the sea.
Solitary Coral
The reef was mine ’til the time they overgrew me
Slow and long
Many polyps strong
Then food came along, made me strong, that’s what I thought
then my prey,
Went away
Don’t know that I will but until I can find me
Some prey that’ll stay and won’t play games behind me
I’ll be in this world
A solitary coral
A solitary coral
I’ve had it to here – being where one is a small number
No strength in many
Can’t move any
I know it’s been done havin’ one polyp survive
Right or wrong
Weak or strong
Don’t know that I will but until I can find me
Some prey that’ll stay and won’t play games behind me
I’ll be in this world
A solitary coral
A solitary coral
