Freshwater Pearl Mussel Poem by Mark Heathcote

It was better than any stupid gerbil
yes, it-sounds-pretty cruel I now admit
I didn't feed it, and I never once cleaned it
I had it 2yrs on the bedroom window sill.
But it did pretty well, and it was special
I prized it from the moment I found it
and hoped it had taken in a bit of grit
I knew it would survive—it was primaeval.

I'd watch it for hours at night one-footing round
a plastic, oblong tank beneath the moonlight.
I collected earth and blanket weed poolside
everything was fine in its little compound.
But that said, one day, I returned home from school
and this silly fool threw it out to get at me
'there'll be no more of that; it is my rule
being my stepfather, he set his decree
there are no more prized possessions here for me.'