Today
you tell me
you are a baryonyx-
slender-nosed, crocodilian,
a dense-boned, fin-spined predator
who hunts the
deep, lightless watery
depths.
Do you choose this
because
it can see
the near-invisible that resides
deep
within the bioluminescent realm?
Perhaps you wish to wave your webbed claws
beneath the surface
of the unspoken-
light up the answers
like plankton
when you cannot see
the changes in emotion
that subtly alter a room
without a word.
-
Last month
you were euoplocephalus
infinity-shaped-club
on back tail
ready to bludgeon
or protect.
On days that you returned
from school
freshly teased and still friendless
I watched you retreat
into stone-hard plate armor,
a prehistoric armadillo
swinging a tail
of verbal hurt
as if the centrifugal force
would pull the sadness
away from your heart
and into your extremities.
-
Most of us,
you tell me
are birds now,
several generations of species
evolved away from dinosaurs.
We are capable of finding secret messages in
a flash of scarlet plumage
or the warble of a springtime call
at dawn.
But you are not feathered
and you are missing the vocal cords
to communicate
in ethereal treetop song.
You-
and others diagnosed
like you-
are still sauropod
locked in a timeline
where asteroids never came.
As you graze among the towering tree ferns
in the humid, dragonfly-filled evening,
I watch you hope with held breath
that one of the times
you fill the space around you
with words of detailed, precise, passionate fact
instead of vague, amoebic feeling
you will find a friend
of scale and claw
who can respond.
Until then, I gather information
from bygone millennia
I fill my head and notebook with answers
to your million questions
and seek the information
that unlocks your smile.
About the Creator
Penny Fuller
(Not my real name)- Other Labels include:
Lover of fiction writing and reading. Aspiring global nomad. Woman in science. Most at home in nature. Working my way to an unconventional life, story by story and poem by poem.
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Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
Top insights
Compelling and original writing
Creative use of language & vocab
Easy to read and follow
Well-structured & engaging content
On-point and relevant
Writing reflected the title & theme
Expert insights and opinions
Arguments were carefully researched and presented
Eye opening
Niche topic & fresh perspectives
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
Masterful proofreading
Zero grammar & spelling mistakes
Excellent storytelling
Original narrative & well developed characters
Comments (27)
Beautiful use of scientific jargon juxtaposed with sensory detail
Congratulations 🎉👏🏿💕🤗
Congratulations!
Fantastic!!! Congratulations on the runner up win!°💕❤️❤️
Congrats
Oh yes, what a lovely way to show the dinosaurs on display teaching us about them 🤩💖
Congrats on Runner-up, Penny!!
Fantastic writing.
Congratulations 🎉
What a beautiful and informative way of learning. This was well written and you gave us such a wonderful ending Congratulations
Congratulations on your top story.
This is so beautiful.
Back to say congratulations on your Top Story! 🎉💖🎊🎉💖🎊
Intriguing! Congratulations on Top Story 🥳🙌
Educational and the form of the poem makes me see a dinosaur skeleton. Great challenge entry
incredible. reminds me of how my mom spoke to me when she encouraged me to begin writing (I was about 5 years old). "Today, you're a cat lying on the floor. What are you thinking?" She made my imagination what it is. Yes, this excellent poem brings back memories.
Gorgeous
Okay, I was charmed and impressed!
This got better each time I read it. I’ll be shocked if someone can top this 😂
This was so damn good.
Amazing entry! Loved it.
This is a fantastic entry. Congrats on the TS.
The closing lines were so poignant and beautiful! So much heart in this!
I especially loved the ending! Fantastic poem!
Bravo! 🙌🏻