Clams On Parade
Clams on parade go salty down
Slip into comas in throats of oceans
Land on floor beds blanketed in mud
In love with the mighty waves above
Lights on the shore, lights from stars
Reflect memories back to sea
Once more before the storm is formed
Of what is to become of shells not found
Is left unanswered
Somewhere below the clouds out loud
Between muffled sounds of thunder
Happy clams alarmed by nothing
Anchored by one foot in mud’s reality
Begin another day of freedom beneath
What of the fantastic ships at salty sea?
Raise the colors to the wind boys!
Churn with the waves towards shore
Crash on rocks to swallow them whole
Sell your souls below before you turn old
Voices lift higher to fill in the hour
Before the songs end in the mist
The power of dawn cracks open
Breaks like an egg in need of fire
Evaporates with the days arrival
Drink in the moment of the dive
So much salt can’t be wrong
Familiar with sand, shells become wise
Stand erect in tides to savor the depths
Suck up the flavor of the day
Currently under investigation by muscles
Too deep to measure as they contemplate
Restraints imposed on them by nature
Gray mouths close tightly in a smile
Clams hold on with one foot in reality
Anchored, shell shocked by tidal wilds
Must we wait for oyster logic
Pressure sets in when air’s depleted
Mud is soft and cloudy under there
Gathering objects in the dark
Can make it easy to forget
Oxygen is needed to catch your breath
To catch a clam you must use sense
Surely there is a compass in the sand
Stationed on terrains still under way
Clams parade oblivious to the obvious
Sounds are heard from up above
Only waves know the meaning
Above, the sea is distorted by light
Below, deep in thought, oceans nap
Clams begin to dance as mollusks
Crustaceans dwell within their boundaries
Debating whether mollusks should have feet
They do this frequently without sleep
Copyright © Earl Schumacker | Year Posted 2021
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