a test of currency
the tide rises
toward the unslaked thirst
of the atmospheric moon -
swells forever onward, born of storm
a deep and broken mystery
exists beyond the breakers
past warming, bone-hard coral casualties -
swells forever onward, born of storm
ice-white northern bears
lose ground to meltwater
changing chemistry, history, habitat -
swells forever onward, born of storm
blue-tear plankton
their luciferin fires aflame
double down as sirens -
swells forever onward, born of storm
while ashore, a young girl
lifts an arrowhead sand dollar
swears she sees a spirit crying out
carbonate lips in silent supplication
in this moment, a test
she holds it close and listens
softly rattling dove-shaped jaw bones loose
peace and goodwill, just aching to escape
and hope swells ever onward, born of storm.
toward the unslaked thirst
of the atmospheric moon -
swells forever onward, born of storm
a deep and broken mystery
exists beyond the breakers
past warming, bone-hard coral casualties -
swells forever onward, born of storm
ice-white northern bears
lose ground to meltwater
changing chemistry, history, habitat -
swells forever onward, born of storm
blue-tear plankton
their luciferin fires aflame
double down as sirens -
swells forever onward, born of storm
while ashore, a young girl
lifts an arrowhead sand dollar
swears she sees a spirit crying out
carbonate lips in silent supplication
in this moment, a test
she holds it close and listens
softly rattling dove-shaped jaw bones loose
peace and goodwill, just aching to escape
and hope swells ever onward, born of storm.
oh, heidi
i’ve shown everyone i know
the octopus dreaming
shape-shifting papillae rising
in radial spokes and webs of muscle fiber
color-changing chromatophore inflections
this alien swims ‘round my imagination
evolution’s cephalopod side hustle
rewriting RNA to survive
nine hive minds apart
a single consciousness to cope
and when it wakes -
really wakes -
three hearts to bear the breaking.
the octopus dreaming
shape-shifting papillae rising
in radial spokes and webs of muscle fiber
color-changing chromatophore inflections
this alien swims ‘round my imagination
evolution’s cephalopod side hustle
rewriting RNA to survive
nine hive minds apart
a single consciousness to cope
and when it wakes -
really wakes -
three hearts to bear the breaking.
Jeffrey Fouquet lives with his wife of twenty years along the ragged corner of Kansas where he teaches language, literature, and composition. He has a doctorate in educational leadership and policy studies which he uses to further environmental education, advocacy, and stewardship programs in partnership with local agencies including the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks. He is an avid animal tracker, backwater canoeist, and unapologetic animist whose writing has been published in SevenEightFive, Kansas English, and The Birdhouse Project.