Upon Turtle’s Isle

Wax and wane of time and tide

Dance of moon and star

Make terrestrial mood and mode

Upon turtle’s isle

Shifted sand and ancient beast

Chance brood to hatch

With celestial guide and tide

Upon turtle’s isle

Ponderous lope and watery grace

Prance between berm and foam

Find ancestral reach of beach

Upon turtle’s isle

Instinct grim and mother strength

Glance with salty tear and sand

Past vestibule egg glide and hide

Upon turtle’s isle

Sandy womb and seven weeks

Lance tooth and shell

Reveal amniotal truth of turtle

Upon turtle’s isle

Starlit gaze and murderous hunt

Stance of Jabiru and heron

Mark ritual infanticide of sis and bro

Upon turtle’s isle

But young amass and risk reduce

Chance a few to breed

For ceremonial repeat of dig and lay

Upon turtle’s isle

Natator depressus and witness still

Trance of man and mother

In reverential grip of life on earth

Upon this turtle isle

By Andrew Raith (12/08/07).