Ode to the Octopus

Ode to the Octopus

Beneath the sea where shadows swirl,

Where coral fans in colors unfurl,

There dwells a creature, shy yet grand,

With mind as vast as shifting sand.

O Octopus, in caverned lair,

You breathe through gills, yet dance like air—

Three hearts beat in silent time,

To pulses deep, to currents’ rhyme.

Your skin, a canvas ever-changing,

Hue and texture rearranging,

Camouflage, a clever feat,

A ghost in reefs, so swift, discreet.

Each arm, a thinker in its own right,

Explores the dark, embraces light.

No bones confine your supple grace,

You slip through cracks, you leave no trace.

Two thousand suckers sense and hold,

With stories in their spirals told.

You taste the world with each embrace,

Intelligence carved into grace.

And should a predator draw near,

A cloud of ink—a cloak of fear—

Yet not in anger do you flee,

But wisdom guides you through the sea.

O love, if I could weave like thee,

Such patience, strength, and mystery—

You teach me not to seek control,

But cherish every complex soul.

So here I write, with awe and trust,

Of love with suckers, ink, and dust.

A lesson drawn from ocean deep:

The heart that learns is one to keep.

Would you like a version for children or with illustrations?