Turtle Tale

Gliding with ease grazing the ocean floor
Under the cloak of night the sea turtle comes ashore
The task ahead only a mother can endure
Flippers digging the nest to lay her eggs once more
This journey she makes in the summer each year
As she labours her eyes stream turtle tears
Then she covers her eggs returning to the sea
How she navigates her journey is still a mystery
The warmth of the sand shall determine whether
They are females who nest or males who swim forever
The hatchlings are drawn to the first brightest light
Breaking free from a shell under stars shining bright
From the many that are born not all can be saved
It’s a desperate struggle from the beach to a wave
The first taste of salt water abandons all fears
This is how it has been for a million years
The future of sea turtles is in our fragile hands

All artwork and poems copyright protected by the Artist. Sarah Reilly, Love Country by Sarah Reilly. All rights reserved.