Tonight I went to the beach
To guard a sea turtle nest
Alone in the quiet I wait and hope
This will be the night this nest hatches
Three college kids come by
Curious about what I’m doing
I tell the tale of struggle against the odds
For the sea turtle to just survive
We part as the moon disappears
Sad the nest did not hatch
Days turn to night
And time goes on
As the sun goes down
I begin the routine I started years ago
I go to the beach to guard a sea turtle nest
In the distance I see people running toward me
I had met them two weeks ago
When we sat for hours in the dark
Hoping to see an ancient miracle
Of living fossils
They were excited to tell me their tale
Of their own adventure with sea turtles
They came upon the nest
It had started to hatch
They were sure the hatchlings would go towards the water
They had no buckets or flashlights
With no one to call they were on their own
With living fossils starting their new life
The hatchlings raced toward the dune
Away from where their ocean home was
Calm and determined
They used their jackets to make a sack
A cradle of life
That held the lost hatchlings from light pollution
Gently picking them up
They saved each one from death
Releasing them into their ocean home
As the stars twinkled
They told me tonight what had happened
I felt so proud that they got it
You never really know
The effect you have on people
The seeds you plant
You hope will grow into awareness and compassion
That the drive to protect won't die with us
But will live on
With the next generation of people we have inspired
For the animals
- Staci-lee Sherwood
Also published on Fevers of the mind on April 20, 2022
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