Seahorses..... Poem by karen sinclair

Once I had a real little seahorse encased in perspex
Laying starkly beside a tiny piece of seaweed (which was grey green)
Entombed forever
Laid majestically out for my lively enquiring five year old eyes to gaze upon
Guts severed

Gifted by well meaning adults at Christmas
In man made perspex a man made hole through the top
So i could wear him around my chubby neck
Whilst his dear little eyes just gazed out dead and dusted
Pitifully hollow
I wrestled with my conscience I could not wear him
He was not meant as a mere trinket
He was just a stolen life which haunted me
Yet i felt a duty
If he died for me, the least i could do was look
Appreciate uncomfortably
I mislaid him eventually
Was my relief.....

Then
The second little seahorse
Literally
She left my body
Left my birthing canal
Perfect tiny
Dark curly hair, chocolate button eyes
I used to lay her in her (pristine) moses basket
Sleeping soundly
Gazing at the sheer beauty which lay before me
Her tiny frame always returned to the same position
Laying on her side, curled in a ball head tilted back
Her form just resembled a seahorse

I would lean and breathe in deeply to steal her baby scent
And i couldn't take my eyes off her
There was no pains just the worries of try to do my best
I adored her
But eventually
She left
Not in the same haphazard way
She grew into a fine woman and flew my nest

Two very different seahorses
Both i shall always miss
But as often as possible i shall kiss the cheek of the second
And inhale her beautiful individual scent
And relish the smile and child Mother Nature
Generously lent