MANATEE
A terza rima sonnet
The
waters where I swim are alga-green:
Salt-water,
brackish, fresh – I like them all
As
long as there are plants, for my cuisine
Consists
of vegetation for which I trawl,
Browsing
the canals incessantly,
Much
like the land-cow, munching at a crawl.
I am
the sea-cow, dugong, manatee –
I have
no inclination as to billing
For
these or any words. I go to sea
Merely
to eat, for that’s my job, god willing,
Though
I have been divested of my hide
And
blubber often. That was not fulfilling
At all,
but clearing bottom growth in wide
Swaths
and swales most surely is. I munch
And
swallow, taking it all in stride —
Or
stroke, rather, for I can’t walk to lunch,
Having
no hinder limbs of any sort.
Yet I
can clear a seaway in a crunch
If
left alone to exercise my forte,
Leaving behind hardly a blooming ort.
© Wesli Court 2010
READER REMARKS
Wesli,
Enjoyed your poem, “Manatee, A terza rima sonnet.”
Alice
Thank you, Alice.
You know, dugongs were
mermaids, and sailors still sing this (DUGONG) SEASONG:
The Marinated Mackerel
splashed
To aid the mermaid in
distress.
He bubbled nothings in
her gill
Till blushingly she
burbled, "Yes!"
The Mackerel's now
father of
A motley, marinated crew
—
His mermaid murmurs on a
reef,
Abiding cordially for
you!
All of which would
indicate,
True love should never
marinate.
Wes
A steep price to pay! :)
Alice
Great job, Lew.
As always, thanks for reminding us of and bringing new life to forms that are so often neglected in this formless age of txt msging! And not just a sonnet but terza rima!! Ritorni al grande maestro, Dante!
Frank Judge
Thanks, Frank,
Let's sing the Earth Day song!
Happy Earth Day to you,
Happy Earth Day to you,
Happy Earth Day, dear dugong!
Happy Earth Day to you!
And a large plate of pasta al Dante to you!
Lew
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