A Kaleidoscope of Coral

Colonies of polyps

Attaching themselves

To hard substrates

Communities of people

Attached to Mother Earth

And to each other

Gravity

Coral can be hard or soft

Growing, serving as

Protection for other sea creatures

Beauty

Needed parts of the whole

Buffering shorelines 

Vital to a healthy ecosystem

Poisoned by toxins

Harmed by climate change 

Warmer water

Endangered

Colorful and diverse

Each colony unique

To its own

Sturdy, Sacred

Stunning to view

Coral needs water and light

Some types thrive deeper in

Colder environments   

Transmuting the 

Heaviness of this wounded world

Gorgeous landscapes

Sensuous scenery, visual candy

Ocean creatures, life cycles

Humans can be stunningly beautiful or

Extremely ugly 

Faces, words, and actions

Tones of voice

People are endangered too

Unlike sharks and other 

Carnivores who survive by

Eating other animals

People attack emotionally

Verbally and physically

No food exchanged

Except metaphorically

Or maybe there is a

"Food" transaction

Food nourishes so

 I may attack you

I may want your food

(Your ability to nourish 

Yourself better - in my opinion

Than I do)

So, I steal, I grab your stuff

I push you over so I can

Have more (in my thinking)

I compete with you for

What I perceive as a

Limited amount of food

Having experienced 

Deprivation of food, touch

Emotional support, love

I want it

I am desperate for it

Power or fame

Wealth or beauty

Give it to me, please

Don’t make me beg

Meanwhile, in the kaleidoscope of the 

Kelp forest

Coral and sea fans softly

Sway in carefree currents

Sharks, sea lions and dolphins 

Hunt for food 

Killing other beings at times

Seemingly without all the 

Vigor and deep desire or 

Despairing desperation of 

Human needs that 

Didn’t get met

Still aren't met

Wonder what we might learn 

From Coral

While still living as human beings?