like one-armed

drownings

these

marked escutcheons

crash
through the quaky crust,

in no clear pattern
some

         stalk

                 others
a   few

                                           adrift, 
                                                       even more

                                                                                                                             abandoned;
all   eyeless.

doomed.
there is nothing else here

frigate birds stay away,

and even the leaves have left
just jagged monoliths:

dead men.
expedition over –

stone surrender

to the indefectible

sun