Mother sea

From the fossil record we know that turtles evolved at least 220 million years ago. Their closest relative is the reptilian lizard.¹

Mirabile dictu: Deep sea turtles
mother by leaving the sea for land
when time comes to birth turtles
by dropping their eggs in sand.
The task complete, ill-fitted to move
beyond sea-depth, she heaves her weight
at turtle pace back to ocean home,
water’s own, known of essence
not of humankind, the sea foregone
to drop turtle eggs deep in sand.
Newly hatched, Tom Thumb size,
miracles driven score upon score
to hurl turtlet selves into turtledom,
the kingdom of improbable turtles,
oceanic home of carapaced marvels
in the awesome deep of mother sea.