Turtle Memory

A turtle looking for freedom and some fun

Turtle Memories

I am a turtle hatched from a shell

On a beach. I think, Atlantic City

Not born in a hospital, as that’s for people

So I leave to find the comfort of the sea

Safe in the company of my little army

There on the shore of sands I crawl

In armored green and flapping flippers as feet

Not to be defeated by the angry sea gulls

Screaming, scrambling for a free lunch

Dive bombing Kamikaze enemies rain down

Being picked off one by one is not an option

As we have numbers on our side to survive

Marching awkwardly toward death or freedom

On sands of white and peppered grains of gray

I stand for turtles everywhere with hunger

A slice of pizza would be nice

Or an ice cold sherbet to quench the thirst

But the boardwalk is so far away and hard to climb

I have no money in my pockets

I have no pockets as I’m reminded

Only memories of mommy

And she insists that I eat fishies