Hawksbill Turtle

There once was a turtle named Sue
Who, aged one-hundred-and-two
did lay enough eggs
to fill up a zoo.

She’d dug them a nest
dug it right on the strand
then she used her back flippers
to pack it with sand.

Now this is when most turtle
mothers would flee,
head back to the ocean,
and leave the eggs be.

But something incredible
happened to Sue
as she looked over her nest
for a final review.

Because right at that moment,
that calm summers night,
three hundred small heads
popped up in delight.

“Mom!” they declared,
all chiming together,
each small as a dormouse
and light as a feather.

They struggled and clambered,
broke out from their pit,
to dart all about,
all lickety-split.

In every direction,
they scattered away,
to bonfires and headlights
that led them astray.

“Now stop!” shouted Sue,
”Stop right where you are!
Can you not tell the difference
between the moon and a car?!”

“If you don’t keep together,
if you go your own way,
you’ll turn this whole beach
into a squashed turtle buffet!”

But none of them listened,
they continued their spree,
colliding with deck chairs
and coconut trees.

They raced north, to the beach house
peeled eastwards towards
a mean-looking crab
with razor-sharp claws.

And when Sue did stop them,
they wound their way south,
to the cave, they’d didn’t realise
was a gull’s open mouth.

She chased them all evening,
and all through the night
Saved one from some stray dogs
in a stray-dog dog fight;

She saved another from some netting
where it decided to play,
and one she found roaming
the neighbouring fairway.

So Sue was exhausted -
she was falling asleep -
from her day hearing turtles
(much harder than sheep).

When she came upon some strangers
willing to help
They told her to rest up
and fed her some kelp.

Then while Sue took to resting
they looked all around
they scoured the beachfront
till all hatchlings were found.

Then forming two lines
along the beach, to the shore
they directed the younglings
through their human corridor.

And as the young approached the water
and were swept up in a wave
Sue shouted “remember -
you have to be brave!”

“They grow up so fast,”
she said, her heart sore
"Just 20 more years,
till they visit once more.”

Now somewhere out
in that big, wide blue ocean
Are three hundred turtles
still causing commotion.

And each gave a tale,
from the day of their birth,
playing with mom,
at the sea-side in Perth.

That's the last for today. Come back tomorrow for more! If you have enjoyed any of these, please consider doing me a big favour and having a read of my latest competition entry: Dinner, 4AM. Thanks!