A Poem for Coral Reefs

Estimated reading time: 1 minute, 6 seconds

In case you haven’t noticed, I’m reaaaaaally into biomimicry (learning from nature, metaphors of nature that can help us better design or understand our world… my definition) lately, and while looking something up related to emergent strategy and murmurations, I came across the community called seed+spark (on Mighty Networks) and I joined… and I found they have a weekly poetry prompt… so I responded to it. The prompt, I think, was roughly imagine going face-to-face with any creature, what would you say to it?

I’m kind of in love with coral reefs right now (how I came across this space [seed+spark], actually – preparing for my NLC keynote – special thanks to Karen Cangialosi for discussing with me). So I’m imagining myself in Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt, diving (which I’ve never done before) and talking to a coral:

How are you a haven for so many diverse beings? 

How do you protect the weak?

Feed the small?

Is there room in your arms for me?

Or am I the giant who kin have destroyed you?

Can you give me another chance?

To learn from you?

To live near you?

To nurture you?

Can you forgive us?

Can you continue to give us?

What can we do to give back?

Photo of Coral Reef by Shaun Low on Unsplash

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