The Sea That Was

The Sea that Was by George N Wallace

Before the arrival of the fishhook, harpoon or gaff -

walk into the warm shallows of a tropical lagoon, lie down, 

pull hand over hand then swim through beds of waving sea grass 

littered with thousands of Conch and Sand Dollars.

Startle to the passing of Hawksbill, Tarpon and Bonefish Rays and Skates.

Before pots, traps, and spearguns – fill your lungs,

upend and slide down among the Urchins, Eels and Sea Snakes 

kick and glide through the rainbow blizzard of fishes  

that decorate the Elkhorn, Staghorn and Black Coral forest.

And beneath every ledge and brainy mound see

the oscillating antennae – on stacks of Spiny Lobster.

Quickly, before fish finders and outboard motors -

dive deeper though enormous schools of Snapper, Jack, and Grunt

that part before you like marsh blackbirds- until you see 

the hulking shapes of Sawfish, Grouper and Rockfish in the strata below.

Feel the adrenalin surge when you first notice the sly squadron of toothy 

Barracuda, following you all the while.

Go now, before the long nets, long lines, and purse seines -

rope a Green Turtle and let her pull you out and down till your ears sing,

past the wall into the channel’s crackling current. There among 

the flashing fins and endless flow of Mackerel and Amberjack

look up to the seam and the back-lit silhouettes of swarming 

Hammerhead, Tiger and Bull sharks feeding among clouds of fry.

Hurry, before the whalers, factory trawlers and bottom scrappers, 

before Red Lobster and sushi madness - 

straddle a slippery Balsa log and drift out to pelagic blue, 

then roll off and descend until curious Dolphins, Porpoises, even Whales

begin to circle wanting only to tease and play since you seem 

a lot like them. 

Can you drift back? 

Before the relentless harvest, dumping, spills and slicks, 

before the ubiquitous discharge, before plastic flotsam

before the heat – 

and just imagine this miracle of time before time itself, 

the light, the clarity, the awful beauty,

the indescribable bounty, the sacred community, 

• The sea that was.