baby sea urchins land on rocks / the way astronauts land on planets / hurtle through ocean space / in translucent eggs / the shape of moon landers / enter the turbulence of waves / eject into salt and spray / to live out the rest of their days / on the ocean floor / for fifty years / maybe more


on the beach / I found a dry sea urchin / pale indigo of waning summer sun / small as a fairy egg / it fit between / forefinger and thumb / tiny spiny orb / contoured by deep purple canyons /
metamorphosing once again / emersion from sea to air /
a planet no longer in motion