Everything Crumbles into the Waves

By Holly Day

The crab approaches the drenched body of the albatross

warily, as if familiar with this species, as if suspicious of death.

It circles the outstretched wings, the sprawl of beak and talon

waving its own tiny claws in the air over its head

as if in preparation of some ill-conceived defense.

Tiny currents pull at the bird, move its wings in whirls of foam and sand

flutter feathers in an echo of jet streams traveled

over seasonal pursuits across an ocean. The little crab ducks beneath the surface

braves a first approach of the animated corpse

pulls a first feather loose, scampers in retreat

waving its trophy overhead as though it brought the whole bird down itself.