My son I give you the ocean
Ana Brawls
My son, I give you the ocean to splash to glide and dive
Among the seagrasses where the seahorses gather
Dancing with the everlasting current
The sea spray, the shiny sparkles, the floaty foam flying in the breeze.
My son, I give you the ocean
To defy terrifying sea creatures and mystic beasts with your imaginative power
You understand its motions and mysteries, speak its salty vernacular
Accept its challenges, respect its boundaries
A liquefied fortress of natural energy to feed to calm to nurture.
My son, I give you the ocean for you to swim
as the blue sea in its gilded hour, turns to gold
You can be whole I give it all to you.
Ana Brawls is a librarian and emerging writer originally from Brazil. She writes short fiction and poetry, and her work explores family traditions, myths, belonging, the human condition, and multiculturalism. Her poem, ‘The Extinction of my Childhood’, has been published at the Australian Poetry Anthology, vol. 9, 2021. Instagram: ana_brawls
Favourite sea creature
The green sea turtle. They are beautiful, gentle creatures that endure so much. And it doesn't matter how far they travel, turtles seem to always know their way back home.