on the shore
the water was cold and dead calm
and even there
in the ancient sea
his old face gave him a jolt
how did he reach this threshold
what is the upside he asked
struggling to find the words
looking hard into the eyes
of a seal with a belly full of capelin
stranded ten feet up the beach
no hands or feet
just a blown up shape
ten times the size of a rugby ball
with a small head
and deep brown eyes and
little whiskers
would it stay there all night
or find its way back
into the water
a seal out of water
a man in late middle age
there is no upside
no easy way to move
the man walks on his feet
but feels no grace or ease
and may as well be flipping
like an undulating U
dragging his belly down the road
the seal was designed to be efficient in the water
a miracle of buoyancy and speed
like a man of nineteen
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