Whale Procession

WHALE PROCESSION


I drowned in squid ink

landed on the ocean floor

Clouds of sand engulfed me

like the jaws of a great white

An army of jellyfish 

passed overhead-

a beautiful funeral procession

~~••~~

Once death settled 

my essence hovered-a reluctant apparition

I felt the starfish twitch beneath me

Spied sea dragons rocking to and fro

in the current

~~••~~


A school of parrot fish swam past

and a sea urchin opened its door 

~~••~~


Then, Silence

as long as a pier.

~~••~~


That hovering essence transmuted 

Effervescent

A tiny whirlpool 

above my chest 

primed for the ocean to siphon

~~••~~


And then, the sound of whales

calling and wailing 

singing their oceanic lullaby

So haunting and comforting

at once

~~••~~


They arrived in triangle formation

Mama at the front, pups behind her 

My back arched as she scooped me up 

into her world 

My swirling essence, she blew

from her blowhole

~~••~~

And I,

I became cargo 

To be transported, perhaps

to my next incarnation.


--••--

POEM & PHOTOS: © 2017 Bianca Bowers