Here’s a poem I’ve written about our seagoing friends, the manatee. As we get busy during our daily lives, please stop and remember the sea cow still needs our help to survive.
I hope you enjoy.

Ode to the Manatee

Sea cows don’t seem to be the slimmest creatures of the sea.
They glide and float, turn under boats, and coddle their young beside thee.
 
On a pilgrimage to see these creatures poured inside a spring.
Grandmother, mother, and daughter stood looking, three generations, were we.
 
The water reflected the bright shining sun, clouds, and faces so bright.
Peering deep into the wet winter home they don’t seem to mind that they’re not alone.
 
Do they know how much we make a fuss every year when they come to greet us?
Or do they know us by the marks, like fingernail scratches, that leave a greater impression instead?
 
Manatee, how we do try to protect thee from pollution, physical abuse, and death.
But right now we are busy, saving ourselves, so keep coming back to remind us of thee.

Sarah Lund serves as pastor of the United Church of Christ in historic downtown New Smyrna Beach on the corner of Faulkner and Washington Street. She is a practitioner of kundalini yoga and enjoys working to build a more peaceful world. To learn more, go to www.uccnsb.com or www.volusiapeacecenter.org.