Tiny Turtle
By Laura Brady DePace
The gentle touch
Of the early Spring sun
Caresses the back
Of the basking turtle.
He is tiny -
Three inches -
No more.
He lifts his head
To the sun,
Neck stretched upward,
Eyes closed,
Reveling in the warmth
Of the sun’s rays.
The log he basks upon
Is a raft,
Adrift in the shallow bay.
The turtle-raft
Floats back and forth,
Reaching out
To join the river’s current;
Then retreating
To the calm,
Still waters of the bay.
Its passenger,
Oblivious,
Takes a ride
Back and forth,
Back and forth.
He cares only
For the sun;
Feeling its warmth
On his shell
On his head
On his outstretched neck
On his tiny tail.
The Spring sun
Warms his tiny body,
Waking him from the torpor
Of the long winter.
Spring-warmed blood
Courses through his veins
To the beat of the season,
Starting the next chapter
Of his life
With the coming of Spring.
About the Creator
Laura DePace
Retired teacher, nature lover, aspiring writer driven by curiosity and “What if?” I want to share my view of the fascinating, complex world of nature. I also love creating strong characters and interesting worlds for them to live in.
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Comments (3)
Thanks for this lovely and beautiful share Laura, I love turtles, and you perfectly described this little fellow in your nicely crafted poem!🌿😊 My favourite line is: "Caresses the back Of the basking turtle." wonderful visual detail!💕
Awww, this was so wonderful! Loved your poem!
So beautiful, back and forth, back and forth. I love turtles!!! I hate that they are sold in stores and then people release them to mix with native ones. We were lucky to see the giant land Tortoises also. Beautiful poem, it is a perfect depiction of them coming out to sun when it finally warms up.