As she died, as she was
fossilized, the ichthyosaur
had her three young alongside.
One pushed out first
to flap in the rough sand alone.
One in the birth canal,
to flap in the rough sand alone.
One in the birth canal,
the last in line, pinned behind,
who’d take no breath of its own.
And one dangling,
who’d take no breath of its own.
And one dangling,
head extended into the world
where the body couldn’t follow,
beak and eye agape.
where the body couldn’t follow,
beak and eye agape.
