Originally posted 5/27/2012.

A shadow coming up
from dark water: could be
a corpse, a crab, or a blue pearl.

The teacher says, surely
we spy here the blue pearl’s
lustrous mystery rising. 

The soldier seizes upon
how the crab, once seized
and raised, will itself seize back.

The undertaker says,
my concern is that corpse.
Wash it clean. Shroud it.  Bury it.

They are ready to pull it aboard.
What’s it going to be:
blue pearl, crab, corpse,

or another thing entirely,
sparking someone else’s
perspective?  As it is heaved

onto the deck there’s a
sigh from all but you.  You
have fallen sobbing to your knees;

everyone knows at once
you alone were meant
to be here today.  Whatever that is,

it’s looking directly into you.
It is not afraid.  You are not
afraid.  You rise to your feet

and approach it as the rest
step back, as the ocean
ceases to be dark.