An Ode to Coral

Under the glazed Caribbean sky Lie layers of limestone laid down to die. The colors of the coast complement the cry, Of the flora and fauna flowing with tides. The fish so often soar with the waves Or wait without motion in the open unscathed. It’s safe to say either way it’s the reef I crave That mighty sight I’ll dream ’til my grave Coral colonies constructed so carefully Harbor the schools we fish so carelessly. These reefs begin to conjure their plea. These reefs that beat to the heart of the sea. Lately our beliefs in reefs has decreased As the chemicals and compounds continue to release. Economies take and take like beasts And still the poisons of the people have not ceased. Listen close for the soft screams and screeches As we destroy like unleashed leaches We remain ignorant despite the warnings and speeches, “One cup of bleach beaches thousands of creatures.” I see pictures on walls from long, long ago Of vibrant reds, blues, greens, and bright yellows. The tranquil life that once gleamed, grew, and glowed Painted the sea floor from the depths to the shallows. Now the floor is a clean sheet of green The life that once teemed no longer is seen. Skeletons scrape the water’s lonely sheen All thanks to our bug spray and spray-on sunscreen. Seagulls soar with the updrafts on shore While their necks are choked thanks to nearby stores Who chose plastic over paper, just to save some more Of that crisp, printed green, so black at its core. Listen to the clock as the second-hand ticks. Each tick that clicks is one more fish stick, It’s just another life that no longer exists It’s just another reef buried under plastics. It’s now or never for you and I. Either we stop our destruction or watch the sea die. Let us not be fooled by the typhoon’s eye We are still in a hurricane, though the reefs are bone dry. Over there is the Lorax; he speaks for the trees I’m Andrew Treat and I speak for the seas These reefs I love are what make my happy Coral is a force that drives me to breathe. So, I ask you, dear friend, to take a good listen To quit pretending we have “enough” ocean Because the time is nigh to aid with my mission The reefs are threatened, along with my passion.