For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you
—Walt Whitman
Feeder springs from Sierra streams bubble up, meet
with alkaline brine, glistening ribbons of collision
give rise to carbonate spires, towers for nesting birds.
The lake is alive with fly larva,
salty shrimp, we dip a cup into
her swirling body, watch
thin, segmented wrigglers, floating tendrils,
barely there, they squirm
as we magnify them to ogle their design.
Urgently multiplying to survive,
these sea monkeys that live to fuel
the gulls and grebes.
How do they see us, curious
land-grab creatures who don’t make peace
even when our lives depend on it?
On the granite shore, a yellow Blazing Star Flower,
choir of petals, pistils, stamens
raises its heart to the sun.
—
Former bilingual teacher and mentor in Watsonville, California, Teri Ketchie writes poetry and volunteers as a docent at a local wetland. Her poems weave together themes of nature, travel and family. She was a featured reader at the 2024 Santa Cruz Celebration of the Muse.
