The Dialogue with the Seaside Shell

I kneel upon the shore

the sand caressing my feet

As I gaze upon a tiny shell

its form so delicate and sweet

"Little shell," I whisper

"pray tell me, how old are you?

For upon your weathered face

I see wrinkles not a few"

The shell, it stirs

as though imbued

with a voice so wise

And in a gentle murmur

it answers my surprise

/

"These are not wrinkles, dear

as you might suppose

But rather, the very songs of the sea

one after another that flows

For you see, I am the keeper

of the ocean's eternal tune

A repository of its melodies

from dawn until the moon

With each crashing wave

each swell that graces the sand

I have recorded the symphony

note by note, with a dutiful hand

The ebb and flow of the tides

the whispers of the breeze

All have found their way to me

to be preserved with ease

So when you gaze upon my face

weathered and worn

Know that it is not age

that has left its mark, forlorn

But rather, the echoes of the sea

its timeless, immortal song

That have etched themselves

upon my shell

where they rightfully belong"

/

I sit in silent wonder

my heart now filled with awe

For in this humble shell

I've glimpsed the ocean's very raw

A repository of life's symphony

a keeper of nature's grace

I marvel at the shell's purpose

its rightful, revered place

/

"Thank you, little shell," I whisper

"for sharing your tale so true

For in your weathered form

I see the sea's eternal view"

With a gentle sigh

the shell falls silent

its duty now complete

/

As I rise, my spirit renewed

from this most wondrous

poetic meet

～

～

Postscript:

The shell's poetic words continue to reverberate within my soul. I now see the weathered visage of this tiny vessel not as a mark of age, but rather as a tapestry woven with the eternal melodies of the sea. Each wrinkle, each subtle crevice, a testament to the symphony of waves, tides, and wind that have graced its form over the endless years. In this humble shell, I have glimpsed the very essence of the ocean's timeless song – a repository of nature's grace, a keeper of life's eternal rhythms.