The Horseshoe Crab
By: Meyssa S. Ryan
The horseshoe crab
Harsh it would be to have to say goodbye
Every May they rise up to the fight
How many hurdles they have jumped
Over the years their simple design remains unchanged
Riding the waves of the ocean
Shorebirds await their arrival with eagerness
Even the smallest bird is here today
Suddenly, dark masses emerge from the waves
How slowly they move upon the sand
Over they flip and over again with spear like tails
Excavating the sacred nursery of the next generation
Calls of birds overhead they pay no heed
Red Knots dive in for their greatest feast
Away these prehistoric creatures move back to the sea
Both must meet again and repeat this ritual for the sake of survival