Sea Nettles
Monterey Bay Aquarium
Frilly mouth-arms,
stinging cells—very Parisian,
you say, as we mill
past them at the aquarium.
Stinging cells, very Parisian—
“so Folies Bergère!”chimes a stranger
standing beside you at the aquarium.
“Carmine skirts with lacy underwear”
(so Folies Bergère...)
When those tentacles reach
from the carmine skirts, lacy underwear,
they paralyze and stick tight.
What those tentacles teach
their unfortunate prey:
“We paralyze and stick tight,”
our field guide says--
the unfortunate prey
sucked in by those seductive ruffles.
The field guide says
lace boils up; tentacles pulse and drift.
Ah those seductive ruffles,
that vibrant exumbrella ballet...
Lace boils up. Tentacles pulse and drift,
the beautiful poisons.
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